The Raging Racer's Heart
by CelicaChick
Summary: Takahashi Ryousuke was always in control of every aspect of his life. That is, until she showed up. Suddenly, things become more complicated and for once in his life he didn't have all the answers when he wanted them. Reviews appreciated.
1. Chapter 1: Fukotomi Mitsu

CHAPTER 1

Takahashi Ryousuke was sitting at his desk completely focused on the data displayed on the screen of the silver laptop when the door was pushed opened and the uninvited guest walked in, "I knew you would be here Aniki. Mother and Father are looking for you." He walked up to his brother and stared at the list of figures scattered across the screen and the graph that accompanied them. His brows scrunched up in confusion. How any of this made any sense to his brother was beyond him. He glanced at his brother before turning back to the screen, "Are you coming?"

Ryousuke nodded. He moved to save the new data and closed the laptop, "Let's go." He waited for his brother to exit the room first then followed suit, closing his bedroom door after him. The two brothers descended the stairs to rejoin their parents' party.

"Ah! Takahashi Ryousuke! It's good to see you again? How are your studies going?" A man asked stopping the older brother.

"Good Mr. Akatori. How is your family?" He asked politely as they shook hands.

"Very good, although I do wish my son took his studies as seriously as I heard you do with yours."

Ryousuke smiled simply, "I'm sure that he is doing fine."

"Ryousuke! There you are!" A woman came to his side, "Please excuse us a moment."

The man nodded and the woman led Ryousuke in another direction, "Your father has been looking for you. He would like you to meet someone."

The young man followed his mother silently.

They approached a man who looked to be about it his late forties, early fifties who was animatedly speaking with another couple about his age and a young lady. It was the latter that caught sight of their approaching form. Takahashi noticed the girl's gaze wonder and turned in its direction. A smile spread across his lips, "Ryousuke. Good. Come." He welcomed his eldest son and his wife into their circle, "This is my best friend from college Fukotomi Masao, his wife Yoko and his lovely daughter Mitsu and this is my other son Ryousuke. They've just moved here from Tokyo. Masao will be working at the hospital with us." He presented proudly. The young man bowed courteously to the family then shook hands with Masao.

"I hear you are in your last year of medical school," he motioned to his daughter, "Mitsu is also almost finished. She has two more years left."

Ryousuke offered a polite smile accompanied with and acknowledging nod. Something about her...

"Son, why don't you take Mitsu and go find your brother so we can talk?"

Ryousuke nodded, "Mitsu-chan?"

The young lady smiled politely and stepped away from her parents' side and followed him into the crowd of socializing people.

"Have you already met Keisuke?"

She nodded, "I have." She answered casually.

They walked in silence until Ryousuke spotted his brother by a side table being ogled by a middle-aged woman.

"Aniki!" The younger Takahashi called out in relief as he spotted his brother. He excused himself from the woman and rushed towards him, "Thank you! I had to get away from her!"

Mitsu smiled lightly.

"I see the two of you have met."

Ryousuke simply nodded. He had no idea what he was supposed to do with her, "Would you like something to drink?" He offered.

"No, thank you. I'm fine."

"Well I could definitely have one!" Keisuke exclaimed and started for the kitchen. Ryousuke turned to Mitsu and allowed her to pass him. She smiled lightly and followed the younger Takahashi. She was so bored. She still couldn't believe her parents had dragged her to one of their boring social parties. She couldn't understand why they had wanted her to come so badly. In the kitchen Keisuke was pouring himself some sake. He glanced up, "Are you sure you don't want some?"

Mitsu frowned, "You know what? I think I will have some of that." She said walking towards him.

Ryousuke watched as his little brother smiled and went to get her a cup. He maneuvered around the kitchen and leaned against the counter top across from where his brother and Mitsu had settled themselves to sip their drinks.

"Not so much Keisuke."

The younger brother nodded simply and finished the remainder of his drink before putting it away, "So Mitsu, how are you liking Gunma?"

"It's nice. Kind of quiet."

"So you're one of those big city people huh?"

Mitsu smile and shook her head before she sipped her Sake, "Not really. Missing my friends mostly." She answered softly.

"Well I'm sure you'll make new ones soon. Will you be studying at Gunma University?"

Mitsu nodded and sipped her drink.

"How are you getting there? Aniki maybe you can take her with you?" Keisuke suggested looking over at his silent brother.

"Oh no that's okay. I'll be driving my car." Mitsu declared. She glanced briefly at Ryousuke before turning quickly back to her drink.

Ryousuke noticed but remained impassive.

"Why don't you share a ride? I mean you're both going there anyway." Keisuke suggested. He turned to his brother for his support.

Mitsu shrugged, "I don't mind driving. It will help me learn about the area anyway."

Keisuke nodded, " I guess." He looked at his brother. He was quietly observing them.

"Could I ask you a question?" Mitsu asked looking up at Keisuke.

"Yes?"

"How far is Akagi?"

"Akagi?" Keisuke repeated curiously.

She nodded and glanced at Ryousuke for a brief second. He looked disinterested.

"Akagi." Mitsu confirmed, "I heard the view from there is spectacular."

Keisuke glanced at his brother, "Well, yes the view is nice. I guess I didn't expect you to ask about a mountain!" he chuckled, "Anyway, it's not that far. Ryousuke and I will be heading there tonight. Do you want to come?"

"Really?" The young lady said showing some excitement, "Tonight? What time are you going? I'd love to come if it's not too much trouble." She glanced at Ryousuke briefly again before turning back to the younger brother.

Keisuke glanced at his watch, "We usually leave at about 9:30. So in about fifteen minutes."

"And you're sure it wouldn't be too much trouble?"

"Of course not. But we're going to be there at least an hour or so. Aniki?" Keisuke turned to his brother.

The other man nodded simply. He uncrossed his arms and moved away from the counter, "You'll want to bring your jacket with you." He said setting his eyes on Mitsu. He met her gaze briefly but long enough to notice what he had expected to see. He turned away and left the kitchen.

Keisuke watched him with a frown. He turned to Mitsu.

"Is he always so quiet?"

"Depends on who's around."

Mitsu nodded and sipped her drink.

"He doesn't know you." Keisuke informed her.

Mitsu smiled.

"We should get ready. Ryousuke doesn't like to be late." He got to his feet, "We should let your parents know."

Mitsu nodded and finished the remainder of drink and brought the cup to the sink. She then followed Keisuke to where their parents were still happily talking to each other.

"I'm sorry to interrupt. Mom, Dad would it be okay if I go for a drive with Keisuke-san and Ryousuke-san for a while?"

Keisuke's parents turned to him.

"Where's your brother?" His father asked.

"Getting ready."

"Are you sure you want to go Mitsu-chan?" Keisuke's mother Emi asked surprised.

The young lady nodded, "I'm sure."

The adults exchanged looks.

"Wear your coat, okay?" Fukotomi Yoko said with a smile.

"Thanks Mom, Dad." She said smiling brightly. She turned to Keisuke who nodded and they walked off together.

The adults watched them a moment.

"Well Takahashi, looks like my daughter prefers your younger son!" Masao chuckled, "You'll just have to find someone else for Ryousuke!"

Takahashi Fujimaro frowned but nodded.

Keisuke led Mitsu out of the house after he had changed and she had collected her jacket.

Ryousuke had already started his car and was sitting and waiting for them. His eyes followed them as they approached his younger brother's car and climbed in. When the yellow FD's engine came to life, Ryousuke motioned for his brother to go first.

Nodding Keisuke backed out and headed down the long driveway to the road. Ryousuke followed him and they headed up to Akagi.

Mitsu glanced in the side view mirror. It's too bad he had decided to drive behind them. She had wanted to see him drive. She glanced at Keisuke from the corner of her eyes. Her gaze lowered to his hand as he smoothly shifted gears.

"So you two are the famous Takahashi Brothers from the Redsuns."

Keisuke smiled, "So you've heard of us."

"My father always mentions how you are the sons of his best friend. And I've seen you on a few magazine covers. Plus your car happens to mention your team name." She answered smiling.

"Are you a racing fan?" Keisuke asked glancing at her.

She shrugged, "A little."

"Is that why you're so interested in Akagi? You know we are going there to practice, right?"

"Sort of. Yes, I figured you were going to practice when you mentioned you were heading there tonight." She smiled, "Plus, I wanted to get away from the party. No offense."

"None, taken. Ryousuke and I don't like these parties either." Keisuke frowned. He looked in his rear view mirror, "Strange..." he mumbled to himself.

"What is?" Mitsu asked curiously.

"Oh. It's nothing. My brother usually drives closer behind me than this. He's pretty far back." Keisuke glanced back again.

Mitsu also looked through the side view mirror. From where they were, she couldn't get a good look at his driving ability. She sighed. Too bad...

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. How far away are we?"

"Not too far now."

"Okay." She looked out the window at the dark night. She turned to him, "So do you study medicine as well?"

"Me? No! Just a few courses here and there. Nothing serious." He answered casually.

"Not planning on following the family business?"

"No. I want to drive professionally."

Mitsu glanced at him. She could tell from the sound of his voice that he was completely serious and very determined, "It's good that you know exactly what you want to do. I like that." She said with a smile as she continued to stare out the window.

"What about you?"

"Me? I'm going to be a doctor of course!" She laughed.

Keisuke found her reaction amusing, "Why is that funny?"

"It's not." She replied smiling, "I don't know what else I would do if I wasn't going to be a doctor." She turned to give him a smile.

He smiled back.

"So..."

"Hmm?"

"Is the famous Keisuke-san seeing anyone?" She asked.

Keisuke glanced at her in surprise, "You're very blunt."

Mitsu nodded, "Sometimes." She waited for him to answer and when he didn't he urged him, "So?"

"No." Keisuke answered finally, "I don't have time for distractions."

"Distractions?" Mitsu repeated raising an eyebrow.

He nodded simply and didn't offer an explanation.

"That's a little harsh."

Keisuke shrugged, "Well I know what can happen when women enter a racer's life."

Mitsu wanted to ask him more but refrained from doing so. She didn't know him well enough to be asking him such personal questions.

"Does Ryousuke-san believe as you do?"

Keisuke shrugged, "More than likely." He answered simply, "We're at the base now." He said as he glanced back at his brother. He was still several car lengths back.

"You guys are close." Mitsu said softly.

Keisuke nodded.

"You're lucky to have a brother."

Keisuke glanced at her. Was she lonely, "There has to be something good about being an only child too."

Mitsu smile, "Yes. That's true." She turned to look at the passing scenery, "Is there generally a lot of traffic on Akagi?"

"Mainly on Holidays or when word gets out of a race happening here." He glanced back. Ryousuke's headlights were no longer in view. He frowned. What was going on?

"Something wrong?"

"No. Nothing. Here we are." Keisuke said and parked his car beside a few other cars, "This is the rest of the Redsuns team and that guy over there the other racer for Ryousuke's Project D team"

"Project D?"

Keisuke nodded, "Come on I'll introduce you before my brother gets here and we have to start."

They got out of the car. He waved to everyone and joined them. One by one, he introduced Mitsu to all of them, "And this is Fujiwara Takumi from Project D."

"Nice to meet you." She said shaking his hand. He looked young.

He nodded and she saw a slight blush creep onto his face. How cute... She smiled and turned as she heard the distinct sound a rotary engine approaching.

The famous white FC appeared and came to a halt beside the newer generation of the same car. The engine was turned off and Takahashi Ryousuke stepped out. Everyone quieted and turned to him.

Mitsu watched with interest as everyone watched his casual approach and waited for him to speak. They all respected him so much. Her eyes rested on the man everyone was waiting on. His face was blank. His posture showed confidence and he moved fluidly as only a person in exceptional physical shape can. He was intimidating...

"Today's session will be shorter than usual. Kenta, I will speak with you first." He said and motioned for the teenager to follow him to his car where he pulled out his laptop and started discussing something with the young racer. When they were done, Kenta climbed into his car and started his first practice run. One by one, each member of the Redsuns were pulled aside and given individualized and specific instructions. They were very organized Mitsu noticed. Finally it was Keisuke's turn.

"I'm going to go watch by the guard rail." Mitsu said and walked away from him when his older brother called for him.

Keisuke went over to his brother and listened as he gave him instructions. Keisuke nodded and turned to leave.

Ryousuke watched as he climbed in his car and headed down the mountain. He then walked over to the two support vans parked close to the guardrail to speak to the crew and look over the team members. He opened his laptop and entered a few details.

"She's definitely cute." He heard one of the crew members exclaim. He silently took a deep breath and released it. Patience. Kenta re-appeared and Ryousuke went to speak with him.

Mitsu watched him from the corner of her eyes. He was even more fascinating than anything she had ever heard or seen about him. And definitely an enormous mystery.

"You too huh?"

Mitsu's head swiveled at the sound of the voice. She smiled at the man who stood beside her watching Takahashi Ryousuke, "I'm sorry?"

He turned to her and smiled then nodded over at Ryousuke, "You're a fan of his too."

Mitsu's brows raised curiously, "And why would you think that?"

"You're staring at him aren't you?" He said casually.

"That's because I'd really like to hear what he's saying to everyone." She informed him.

"Right." He turned to her again, "You seem like a nice young lady. So let me give you a piece of advice."

Mitsu nodded curiously.

The man glanced at Ryousuke briefly again before turning to meet her eyes, "Don't get too attached. Takahashi Ryousuke is not known as the 'Lone' White Comet of Akagi for nothing."

She stared at him confused, "I think you misunderstand. I'm not at all interested in Ryousuke-san like that."

The man smiled softly, "You just remember what I said kid." He said and walked back to the other crew members who were currently busy collecting additional data from the other racers.

She watched him walk away. Then with one last glance at Ryousuke who was finishing up with Kenta, she turned to look down the mountain again. Why was he warning her about Takahashi Ryousuke? Attached to Ryousuke? Ha! She barely knew him!

"Learning anything new?"

She jumped slightly at the sound of his voice.

Ryousuke stepped to her side and looked down the mountain. He turned to her.

"You scared me." She said taking a deep breath.

The young man looked at her then turned his attention to the team members again.

"Okay what did I ever do to you?" She asked placing her hands on her hips as she fully turned to glare at him.

Ryousuke ignored her and pulled open his laptop to enter something in its database.

"You are really very rude." She exclaimed feeling the frustration building inside of her. What was happening here? Was she letting a man get the best of her? She took a cleansing breath and turned to look at the racers again.

Ryousuke eyed her carefully. Now what? She was watching his team carefully; collecting valuable information no doubt, "Do you see something interesting?"

"Oh, so he speaks!" Mitsu said giving him a side glance, "And yes. The view is amazing."

So that's how she was going to go about it, "What do you drive?"

Mitsu frowned at the sudden off topic question then she shrugged, "Nothing special."

"So you don't know..."

Mitsu laughed and rolled her eyes, "Yeah, that's it." She answered amused.

Ryousuke cocked one eyebrow.

Mitsu noticed and coloured slightly. Oops. She had to be careful around this guy or he'd find out everything she had worked so hard to conceal.

"Excuse me." The young man said and went to meet another team member as he reached the peak.

Mitsu let out a deep breath. Prudence. She had to be careful around Takahashi Ryousuke. She had a feeling that he was on to her secret. This wasn't good... She stepped over the guardrail and sat down releasing another sigh. All she had to do was not let him get to her. Better yet all she needed to do was stay clear of him. To her relief, Takahashi Ryousuke did not approach her again until they had reached his house and then only in the company of her parents and his family did he politely bid her goodbye.

Mitsu followed her parents to their car and climbed in.

"Did you have fun dear?"

"Yes, it wasn't too bad. I still don't see why I couldn't just have stayed home."

"I wanted you to meet my good friend and his family sweety." Her father explained glancing in the rear view mirror at his daughter.

Mitsu simply smiled then turned to look out the window.

"Aniki, are you still awake?" Keisuke called knocking on the door.

"Yes."

Keisuke entered the room and sat down on his brother's bed, "What are you doing?"

"Analyzing the data we collected tonight."

"Oh." He looked about the room, "So what did you think about Mitsu-chan?"

Ryousuke stopped tying and turned in his chair to face his younger brother, "Be careful with what you say when you are around her Keisuke. She knows who we are."

Keisuke frowned, "I know. She told me in the car ride to Akagi." He cocked his head to the side curiously, "What's wrong Aniki?"

"I have a suspicion, but I need to be sure about it first." He said and turned back to his laptop.

"About Mitsu?"

His brother didn't answer.

"She seems nice."

"She knows more than she's letting on." Ryousuke said casually. The mixture of fire and challenge he had seen burning in her eyes was proof of that...


	2. Chapter 2: Lingering Suspicions

CHAPTER 2

Takahashi Ryousuke turned to look at the red digits on his clock. 5:23 am... He sighed and threw aside the covers and got out of bed. He wasn't going to get any sleep anyway. He gathered some clothes and quickly went to shower. He retuned to his room to gather his car keys and started downstairs towards the main doors. He stepped out into the dark morning and locked the house doors before making his way to his car. He climbed in and started its engine with a sigh. The sound of the perfectly maintained rotary engine brought him a sense of peace. He closed his eyes a moment as the car idled, then he disengaged the emergency brakes and placed the car in gear.

Keisuke descended the stairs sleepily and entered the kitchen where the coffee had already been made. He poured himself a mug full and walked over to the window to look outside. As suspected his brother's car was absent. He sipped his coffee silently. He had been strange last night. Why was he suspicious of Fukotomi Mitsu? After all, she was just a girl. He frowned. A rather pretty girl... Maybe that's what his brother meant... She could become a distraction, if he allowed it, which he wasn't. He polished off his coffee and placed the mug and placed in the sink. He headed back upstairs to his room to grab his car keys. He had decided to drive up to Akagi and meet up with his brother and get in some extra practice. Nothing was going to distract him from achieving his goal. Let alone a girl. Ryousuke didn't need to worry about that. He rushed up Akagi and when he reached the peak he was surprised his brother wasn't practicing at all. Keisuke parked his car by his brother's and cut off the engine. He stepped out and walked towards the guardrail overlooking Gunma, "Aniki?" He called as he reached Ryousuke and took a seat beside him.

"What is it Keisuke?" The man asked casually without looking at him.

"What are you doing?" He asked looking out at the view.

"Nothing." Ryousuke turned to him, "Did you come to practice?"

Keisuke nodded, "But I wanted to talk to you about something too."

Ryousuke nodded, "Fukotomi Mitsu."

Keisuke was taken aback. How did Ryousuke know? Was she on his mind as well? "Aniki, I wanted to tell you that I'm not at all attracted to her."

Ryousuke turned to look at his brother. He raised an amused eyebrow, "Really." He said in disbelief.

Keisuke shrugged, "She's good looking and nice, but I don't need a relationship right now. I know what it did to you and I don't want that."

Ryousuke sighed, "Keisuke, what happens to me will not necessarily happen to you. You should do what you feel is right for you."

Keisuke looked at him confused, "But yesterday... I thought you were warning me to stay away from her."

"No. Just be careful. That girl knows something and she's hiding it. I'll know soon, but until then be careful what you say to her. We don't need any vital information leaking out to the public or possible competitors. I don't trust her."

Keisuke nodded, "Okay. What do you think she's hiding?"

"A lot." Ryousuke replied simply as he looked out over Gunma. She obviously knew about Keisuke and him, and she obviously knew something about cars. Then why had she been reluctant to tell him what she drove? She obviously had a reason to keep it to herself and Ryousuke was determined to find out what. She was not going to jeopardize anything he had worked so hard to accomplish. He turned to his younger brother, "Since there's nothing else, you should start what you came here for."

Keisuke frowned, "How do you know I don't need to talk to you about something else?"

"Do you?"

"No."

Ryousuke nodded having proved his point, and got to his feet, "Let me follow you."

Keisuke sighed and also got to his feet and the brothers made their way back to their car.

"Ah! There you are!" Takahashi Emi exclaimed as her children entered the house, "Go wash up the Fukotomi family will be arriving soon."

"They are?" Keisuke said surprised. He glanced at his brother who remained impassive.

"Hai. Your father invited them last night while the two of you were out driving." She said as she moved about the dining room table to set down the silk place mats. She turned to her two sons who had yet to move, "Well come on! Go get ready. They'll be here soon."

Keisuke glanced at his brother one last time before he walked off to go upstairs.

Emi turned to her eldest son, "Is something wrong Ryousuke?"

The young man shook his head and walked off to get ready. Something was amiss. His gut feeling was telling him that his parents were up to something. He casually walked to his room to get a change of clothes. For the first time in his life he was feeling very unsure of the things happening around him. In just one night, things had started slipping out of his control. He sat down on his bed suddenly unsure of what was happening.

Keisuke came out of the washroom and went to put his things away before he made his way back downstairs.

Emi smiled at him, "Were you practicing again?" She asked curiously as she helped the maid set the table.

Keisuke nodded, "How come dad never spoke of the Fukotomi's before?"

Emi shrugged, "I don't know. Why?"

"Mitsu-chan's father told her about our family. I was just wondering why dad never told us about hers."

"You'd have to ask him that." She said giving him a warm smile.

The doorbell sounded and she met her son's eyes with surprise.

Takahashi Fujimaro walked into the room, "Where's Ryousuke?" He asked as he went to answer the door.

"I'll get him." Keisuke replied and bolted out of the room.

Fujimaro pulled open the door, "Welcome!" He exclaimed happily.

"Hi." The Fukotomi family said smiling.

"Come in, come in." Fujimaro said motioning for them to enter. Emi joined him in welcoming them.

"Sorry the boys will be down soon. They only recently arrived home." Emi apologized, "Come let's have a seat in the living room." She led them into the luxurious house.

Keisuke went to his brother's room and knocked on the door before pushing it open, "Aniki the Fukotomis have arrived." He looked at his brother curiously then noticed that he was still dressed in the same clothes, "You haven't washed up yet?" Keisuke said surprised.

Ryousuke shook his head and got to his feet. He began unbuttoning his shirt to change. He would just have to wash up later. He finished changing and turned to Keisuke, "Let's go." He said and made his way out of the room. Keisuke followed him quietly. His brother was definitely acting strangely. They descended the stairs and walked into the living room together.

"Hello, we apologize for being late." Ryousuke declared as both he and Keisuke bowed to the Fukotomi family.

"Ah hello, Ryousuke, Keisuke." Masao said smiling.

"No need to apologize." Yoko said smiling.

Ryousuke bowed his head in respect. When he straightened he set his eyes on Fukotomi Mitsu, "A pleasure to see you again Mitsu-chan." He said politely.

Keisuke followed his example, "Hello Mitsu-chan." He said but with a smile that his brother had not offered to her.

"Hello Ryousuke-san, Keisuke-san." She said also bowing her head courteously.

Emi smiled, "Well, why don't we all move to the dinning room." She suggested.

They all got to their feet. The adults moved out of the room first followed by the young adults.

"After you Mitsu-chan." Ryousuke said motioning for her to go ahead.

She nodded, "Thank you." She said and casually stepped past him fully aware that he was studying her carefully. Keisuke joined her and she smiled as he drew her into some light conversation. But nothing could take away the uneasy feeling that Ryousuke's gaze had upon her. They entered the dining room and claimed a seat. Keisuke naturally took a seat beside Mitsu since they were already in conversation. Ryousuke made his way to the only available seat directly across from Mitsu-chan. The adults continued to talk as the maid entered the room to serve the first dish. Ryousuke glanced around the table casually. Masao and his father were animatedly re-living the old days, Yoko and his mother were also discussing something that peeked both their interests and Keisuke was casually talking to Mitsu. He watched them. Mitsu-chan seemed definitely more open with him.

Suddenly she laughed.

Ryousuke's eyes narrowed onto her. He glanced at his brother who smiled. Damn it. Keisuke was so easily trusting her after the warning he had given him. He reached for is bowl of Miso and brought the liquid to his lips. He lowered the bowl to the table and pushed his chair back so he could get to his feet, "Please excuse me for a moment." He said with a bow and exited the room.

Keisuke watched him retreat from the room in stunned silence. Ryousuke always did everything right and by the look of disappointment on his father's face, he was certain that his brother had messed up.

The conversation started up again and Keisuke turned to ask Mitsu what she had done that day when she too spoke.

"You first." Keisuke said.

"Sorry. I just wanted to ask you if I could use your washroom." She asked a little embarrassed.

Keisuke found it amusing, "Of course, it's just around the corner by the stairs."

She nodded and excused herself from the table. She made her way to the stairs, passed by the balcony doors to the back yard and found the washroom on her right side. She emerged moments later and was on her way back to the dinning room when she noticed that the once empty balcony was now occupied. She froze and stared at the young man's back. He was standing tall as he stared out into the distance. As though he could feel her watching him, he slowly turned around and met her gaze.

Mitsu slowly took a deep breath, drew her shoulders back and stepped towards the balcony doors. She pulled it open and stepped out to join him. She shut the door behind her and walked up to him as her eyes traveled over him. Her eyes caught sight of the cigarette between the fingers of his left hand.

Ryousuke noticed where her gaze had landed and he deliberately brought the cigarette up to his lips. He watched as her gaze followed the cigarette. Finally she looked up into his eyes. He stared at her.

Without breaking her gaze away from his, Mitsu stepped right up to him. The top of her head barely reached the top of his upper lip. She moved a hand and snatched the cigarette from his grasp and stuffed it in the ashtray on the patio table, "You, a soon to be doctor should know that smoking is bad for you." She said casually as she did it.

Ryousuke watched her stunned. She had just taken his cigarette then lectured him! He was never lectured. He stared at her.

She stared right back at him, matching him look for look.

"You should stay out of people's business." Ryousuke said casually but he was feeling anything but casual. He really could have used that cigarette right now.

Mitsu felt her insides practically freezing over from the icy glare he had directed towards her. She felt like he was shooting icicles from his eyes through hers and right into her very soul. The cold was slowly taking over her body until she could no longer feel her toes and fingers from the lack of blood circulating there. Yet, she continued to match his stare. She couldn't help herself, "Don't worry I don't waste my time twice on people that don't deserve it." She said looking him up and down to let him know she meant him.

Ryousuke's expression didn't change. He took a step closer to her and bent his head to whisper close to her ear, "I'm watching you Fukotomi Mitsu. If you meddle with my family or my teams, you will live to regret it." He said in a low deliberate voice that sent a chill up her spine. The hairs on the back oh her neck stood on end as his breath touched her skin and his scent filled her senses.

She tried in futile to control the shivers that were trying to break loose.

Ryousuke moved his head away from her and without even looking at her again, stepped around her and re-entered the house.

Mitsu immediately wrapped her arms around her body as she began to tremble involuntarily in reaction to Ryousuke's presence and his threat. What had she done to make him believe she was a threat? She took several deep breaths in an attempt to calm her senses. She had to collect herself quickly before they all wondered where she was. She took one last breath and slowly released it as she closed her eyes momentarily. When she opened them she sighed and walked back into the house and made her way to the dinning room. She smiled and took her seat at the table. She placed her napkin in her lap and quietly picked up her chopsticks and nibbled on her food.

"For a moment there, I thought you got lost." Keisuke teased her.

Mitsu smiled lightly as she glanced at him briefly then lowered her gaze to her plate again.

Keisuke watched her curiously. He turned to his brother who also had his gaze lowered to his plate as he quietly, causally ate his dinner like he didn't have a care in the world.

"Are you alright Mitsu-chan?" Keisuke asked.

The young lady nodded and offered him a quick smile to reassure him. She glanced at Ryousuke very quickly and lowered her gaze again. He was acting like nothing had happened, but she knew better. He might have had everyone else fooled but she knew the truth. For some reason Takahashi Ryousuke felt threatened by her, when really she was the one that had a good reason to feel threatened by him. She looked over at her mother and father. They were so proud of her right now. If they knew... She pushed the thought away. Takahashi Ryousuke would not find out. She wouldn't let him! She raised her head to look at him and found him watching her. She glared back at him. Daring him to look away first.

Ryousuke stared levelly at her. She was openly challenging him in front of everyone. He picked up something on his plate and popped it in his mouth and chewed on it without breaking eye contact with her. She was uneasy, he could see it in her eyes yet she kept daring to challenge him. He allowed her to see a twitch of a smirk and glanced in the direction of her parents. He noticed a sudden flash of worry before she expertly wiped it away.

"Mitsu-chan, Keisuke's right, it would make more sense that we shared a ride to the University tomorrow." He said casually.

The adults all turned to them.

"A very good idea." Fujimaro exclaimed, "What do you think Masao?"

"A good idea in deed." He turned to his daughter, "You won't have to go alone so early in the morning."

"I for one, would feel better if you had the company." Yoko added nodding.

"Mom! I will be fine. I don't want to inconvenience Ryousuke-san, he's probably very b-"

"Non-sense. I have to go there in any case."

Keisuke looked at his brother curiously and was going to ask him why he was changing his mind, but one look from him told him he should hold his tongue.

Mitsu stared at him unsurely, "I'd rather drive myself." She said, "But thank you for the offer Ryousuke-san."

"We'll take turns then. I'll drive tomorrow and you can drive the next day." He shrugged. He saw Mitsu's jaw clench briefly. There it was again.

"It's really okay, I can manage. Besides I might want to stay at the university longer than you need to be there."

"Then I'll wait in the library." Ryousuke answered casually.

Mitsu tried not to frown. She wanted to scream at him.

"It's settled then. Ryousuke can pick you up tomorrow." Fujimaro said smiling. He glanced at Masao who also smiled.

The exchange did not go unnoticed by Ryousuke who made a mental note of it. He glanced at his mother and Yoko. The latter was talking excitedly to her daughter about being happy that she wouldn't have to drive alone tomorrow, while the former was watching him curiously. He turned to Keisuke who was also looking at him but with a confused look.

He casually resumed eating.

After their dinner and a light desert of fruits, the adults moved back to the living room to talk while their children made their way to the entertainment room.

Keisuke took a seat on the large white leather sofa and turned on the television. Mitsu joined him quietly.

Ryousuke settled himself in the matching armchair as he kept a watchful eye on her. After several moments of silence, he reached over to a side table and grabbed a book that was laying there. He pulled it open and started to read.

And that's how their parents founds them an hour or so later. Keisuke and Mitsu were both silently watching tv while Ryousuke sat silently in a chair reading his book.

"Mitsu, It's time to go." Masao said looking over at his daughter.

The Takahashi brothers got to their feet. Keisuke turned off the television and Ryousuke placed his book where he had retrieved it. The party moved towards the front entrance of the house.

"Mitsu-chan, I will be needing your address for tomorrow." Ryousuke said walking up to her.

"Oh. I'm really not too sure what it is yet." She frowned.

Masao laughed and quickly gave Ryousuke their address.

The young man nodded, "I will pick you up at six then."

Mitsu simply nodded. What could she do now?

They exchanged pleasantries then said their goodbyes. When the door was finally closed Fujimaro looked over his sons with a smile.

"Dad, how come you never mentioned them before?" Keisuke asked.

The man shrugged, "I'm not sure. I just sort of got busy and forgot I guess." He turned to his eldest son, "It was good of you to offer Mitsu-chan a ride to the University, after all she's new to the area and does not know the roads very well."

"It was Keisuke's suggestion." Ryousuke replied simply.

"Either was, it's time for the two of you to get some sleep. Ryousuke you're looking a little tired."

"I'm fine." He said but started making his way to the stairs.

Keisuke followed him, "Aniki."

"Mmm?" He pushed open his bedroom door and stepped inside.

"How come you changed your mind about giving her a ride tomorrow?"

"I never commited to anything yesterday Keisuke. Mitsu-chan was the one who wanted to drive herself."

"Oh." He watched as his brother gathered his sleeping clothes and left the room to wash up. Keisuke went to his brother's bed and laid down and waited for his return. When he returned Keisuke watched him casually, "Aniki?"

"Hmm?"

"If you have suspicions about her why are you sharing a ride with her?"

Ryousuke settled himself at his desk, "Because I need to know something."

Keisuke mulled over his brother's response a moment, "So... You're going to study her?"

Ryousuke nodded, "Something like that." He turned to his brother, "I'm going to find out everything I need to know and she's going to tell me if she likes it or not."


	3. Chapter 3: Friend or Foe?

CHAPTER 3

Ryousuke glanced over at the clock beside his bed. 4:58am. He sighed and looked down at the textbook in front of him. He would read for another half hour or so before he got ready to leave. He started to read again but soon quit after he found that he had needed to read the same line at least a dozen times. He closed the book and pulled open his laptop and logged onto the Project D website. As expected there was a handful of new challenges from teams all over Gunma. This weekend the team would go to Mount Shirane to accept a challenge by Team Overdrive. He had gone to film the terrain a week ago and had uploaded it into his laptop. He opened that file now and replayed the footage a couple of times before he turned off his laptop and got ready.

Once he had changed, he grabbed his bag and left his room. He went to his car and placed his bag behind his seat and proceeded to climb into his car. The engine fired up, forming the distinct sound only heard from the unique rotary engines. He let the car idle a moment before revving the engine a few times. He then placed it in gear and was on his way. He liked driving this early in the morning. The roads were clear and it was quiet. It calmed his spirit and allowed him to think without distractions. He was in such a state of reflection this morning that he was surprised when he found himself rapidly approaching his destination. He slowed the car and searched for the desired house number. When he found it he brought the car to a complete stop and looked at the house. This was it. He turned into the driveway and pulled up to the house. After placing the car in neutral and pulling the e-brake, he stepped out and walked towards the front door where he knocked lightly.

The door opened seconds later, "Hi. Sorry, I just have to grab my jacket." Mitsu said rushing back into the house.

Ryousuke watched as she suddenly disappeared again, leaving him standing there at the open door. She came rushing back suddenly, her bag hung over one shoulder, a textbook in the crook of her arm and her jacket in her hand as she bent over to put on her boots. She straightened and stepped out of the house. She pulled her bag in front of her and dug inside to look for her keys.

Ryousuke watched as she struggled with everything in her arms. He reached over and took the book and jacket out of her hands, "We won't be late." He informed her confidently.

His calm voice made her stop in her tracks briefly and she watched as he gathered her things in his arms. She turned back to the task at hand and found her keys. She locked the door and shoved her keys back in her bag, "Thanks." She said reaching for her things.

Ryousuke handed her the jacket first then the book. She took both in her arms and they walked over to his car. He went ahead of her to open her door.

"Thanks." Mitsu said containing the surprise she felt in receiving the nice gesture especially after their confrontation last night. She got into the car and he closed the door and walked around to the other side. He looked around the area. There was no sign of any other car besides the one her family had driven when they had visited them the last few days. He pulled open the door and climbed in. He turned to Mitsu, "Sure you have everything?"

She glanced at him and nodded.

Ryousuke put the car in gear and lowered the e-brake. He backed out of the driveway and they were on their way to the Gunma University. They drove in silence a few minutes. Finally Mitsu turned to glance at the young man beside her. He seemed relaxed, confident and alert. She saw him glance at her from the corner of his eyes. He knew she was looking at him but he didn't do anything, just continued to stare in front of him and drive. It was then that she saw the small lines just beneath his eyes. Signs that he hadn't had enough rest. If she looked carefully, she could see that he was really tired, "You look like you have been studying all night Ryousuke-san."

"I was." He answered simply without looking her way.

Mitsu kept her eyes on him a moment longer before she too looked out at the road in front of them. She sensed that there was something else too. Something was bothering him, but she was too worried about keeping her guard up around him to show him some concern. Besides, it wasn't her place to be asking him about his problems.

They drove a few minutes in silence before Mitsu turned to him again, "Would you mind if I turned on the radio?"

"No." One short, curt word.

"You know, if you don't want me here, then you should not have made such an effort last night. If you haven't noticed, I don't want to be here either. I'd rather drive myself, so let's call this off right now."

"No."

"What do you mean, No.?!?" Mitsu exclaimed shocked.

"This is the most logical thing to do."

"Logical! Me, wanting to kill you right now is anything but logical!"

Ryousuke shrugged and continued to drive.

Mitsu huffed, "Take me back." She said seriously.

"No." Ryousuke replied.

"Yes."

"No, we're going to be late."

She frowned, "You just said we wouldn't be late." She crossed her arms.

He shrugged.

"You lie. The famous Takahashi Ryousuke would make it there on time." She blurted out without thinking.

"So, you know me." He said casually.

"Sure, I know about you and Keisuke."

He turned to her then, "What else do you know?"

She was taken aback, "What do you mean?"

Ryousuke pulled over to the side of the road and stopped the car so that he could turn his steel blue eyes onto her, "You're hiding something." The brief flash of fear that swept through her confirmed it, "I want to know what it is."

"You arrogant pig! I'm not telling you anything! My life is none of your business!" She yelled angrily.

"Oh, but it is. You see, like I told you, if it touches anything to do with my family or my teams, I have the right to know."

"Not everything revolves around this universe you created for yourself Takahashi Ryousuke." She spat.

Ryousuke leaned back in his seat, "I'll find out what you're keeping secret." He said simply and started to drive again.

"You have no idea what you're talking about." Mitsu said her voice had regained a pitch of normalcy.

He shrugged. Her outburst had already told him quite a bit. He glanced at her. The young lady was staring out the window. Her brows knit together in deep thought. She was squished up against the door like she was trying to get as far away from him as possible. He reached out and turned on the radio.

As the music came over the speakers, Mitsu glanced at him briefly. With no evident change in his expression or his body language, she resumed staring out the window. The remainder of the hour and a half drive was void of any more conversation. When Ryousuke parked the car, Mitsu pushed open the door and stepped out. Without a word she took off. Ryousuke watched her go for a split second before he collected his own bags and went on his way.

His morning classes finished in blur. It was now one O'clock and he was walking among a few of his classmates into the Cafeteria. They got comfortable at a table near the floor to ceiling windows. Some pulled out lunches, some dumped their things and took off to buy something and others like Ryousuke remained behind and pulled out their textbooks.

"So Ryousuke-kun, who's next on the list of teams Project D is going to battle?"

The man didn't look up from his book. He shrugged, "We're only thinking about Team Overdrive at the moment."

"Come on Ryousuke, we know you already have the other challengers lined up for Project D."

Their classmate shrugged again and continued to study.

The guys all picked up another conversation. They were all used to Ryousuke's serious attitude.

After a few minutes Ryousuke looked up from his studies. The tiny hairs at the back of his neck were on end. A strange feeling swept over him and he casually looked around the filling Cafeteria. Nothing unusual. He was just about to brush off the feeling and start studying again when something, rather someone, caught his attention outside. His current subject of suspicion was walking on the grass towards a large tree where she settled her self and unpacked her lunch and a textbook. She was alone. Out of the corner of his line of vision he saw someone walking in her direction. His eyes narrowed and he watched carefully and focused on her body language. The man was almost in front of her now and Mitsu still didn't seem to take notice.

The man must have addressed her then, for she jumped slightly and her head snapped to attention. She offered him a soft smile and they spoke. She was fine. Then why did he have this weird feeling? His instincts were never wrong. He had learned a long time ago to learn to trust them. He continued to watch as the man sat down beside her. Too close. Mitsu could be seen edging away slightly. The man placed a hand on her arm. Ryousuke got up suddenly, "I'll be right back." He said and casually walked away from the table.

Meanwhile...

Mitsu gently pulled her arm away from his touch, "I really need to study." She said smiling unsurely.

"There's a party at my dorm tonight. You should come."

"I'm sorry I have plans tonight. But thank you." She said edging further away from him.

The man inched closer, "Oh, I'm sure you can get out of it. This is going to be the party of the year! You have to come."

"She's busy."

Mitsu and the man both turned to the voice. One carried a look of annoyance at being interrupted and the other in relief.

Mitsu never thought she would have felt such a feeling in seeing Takahashi Ryousuke, but she felt it now.

"No one asked you." The man said looking up. Surprise filled his face when he recognized Ryousuke. The he frowned, "She's mine Takahashi, go find one of your fangirls to play with."

"I don't belong to anyone!" Mitsu said angrily as she pulled away from him completely.

"It's time for you to go." Ryousuke exclaimed as he stood in front of them with his arms crossed in front of his chest. An intimidating stance for anyone.

"This ain't over Takahashi!" He growled as he picked up his bag and moved towards Ryousuke. He glared at him a moment before he shoved past him and left.

Ryousuke turned to Mitsu. He walked over to where her stuff remained on the ground. He squatted down and picked up her pencil.

"What are you doing?" She said as she approached him. He was scribbling something on the inside flap of her book.

"Just in case." He said and straightened. He met her gaze briefly then turned and walked away.

Mitsu watched him a second then went to pick up her book. She pulled open the flap. Surprised overtook her. She turned to look at his retreating form for another moment then down at his name and number.

The rest of the day went by without incident. Mitsu collected her things after her last class. She felt a little anxious about the car ride home. Anything could happen. She got out of her seat and left the classroom and exited the building. It felt so good to be outside in the fresh air. She enjoyed the warm embrace of the sun on her face a moment then remembered about Ryousuke-san. She rushed towards the parking lot. There he was standing by his car. She frowned. Several girls were also standing near him giggling no less. It made her sick. She casually walked towards them. Ryousuke turned his eyes on her and nodded once in acknowledgement. The girls all turned to see who he was looking at and frowned.

"Who is she?" Someone whispered.

"She better not be his girlfriend or anything!" Another declared.

Mitsu tried to hide a smile. Those poor girls were jealous!

"Excuse me." Ryousuke said and walked away from them and around to the passenger side of the car where he pulled open the door for Mitsu.

The young lady nodded, "Thank you." And she stepped into the car.

Within moments he had also entered the car. Mitsu glanced sideways to see that his legion of female friends had moved away but still watched and whispered. The car started and they pulled out of the stall and drove towards the exit of the parking lot.

Suddenly a flash of light caught Ryousuke's attention. He felt Mitsu also lean forward to look to his side.

At the other car's current speed he was going to t-bone them. Ryousuke stepped on the accelerator. At the last minute he braked hard for a split second to take the load off the rear tires and swung the back end of the car to the left, avoiding the oncoming car. It passed by them. Ryousuke noticed the man that had been harassing Mitsu earlier. His face was filled with anger.

The white FC straightened again and continued on it's way out of the parking lot as though nothing out of the ordinary had passed.

Students in the parking lot gasped and watched in awe at the legendary Takahashi Ryousuke disappeared. They turned to the other car. It had crashed into a pole. It's door opened and the driver stepped out and looked at the front of is car. The engine had dropped, "DAMN IT!" He yelled and turned to glare after the white FC turning out of the lot.

Later...

Ryousuke drove on in silence. She hadn't even been fazed by the incident. He saw her move from the corner of his eye to turn on the radio. Her hand was steady. Her features relaxed. Interesting.

"Ryousuke-san?"

"Hmm?"

"I... I want to thank you." She said as casually as she could, "For helping me earlier."

The young man simply nodded.

Again they drove in silence. He wondered how long she would take to mention the incident in the parking lot.

"Are you always so richly endowed with female friends like you were today?" She asked curiously.

Ryousuke glanced at her in surprise. Out everything he could think of for her to say, that was so far out of the realm of his imagination at the moment.

She laughed lightly at his reaction, "I knew you had fans, but at school? Is it like that everywhere you go?"

"It's bothersome." He said simply as he regained his composure and continued to drive. To his further surprise Mitsu had not mentioned the parking lot incident all the way to her house. It was as if the whole incident had not even registered in her brain. What was going on? Her reaction was not one of a regular civilian... He dropped her off and drove home.

"You're home." Emi exclaimed smiling, "Your brother has already eaten and is waiting for you upstairs."

Ryousuke nodded and went straight to the kitchen to eat his dinner.

Keisuke entered the room, "I heard your car." He said and sat at the table and watched his brother, "How was it? Did you find out anything?"

Ryousuke swallowed the food in his mouth, "A few interesting pieces of information but nothing serious yet." He answered and spooned another serving of food in his mouth. He chewed thoughtfully.

"Well what did you find out?"

"I'll let you know when I have more." The older brother declared casually, "Are you ready to go? Did you finish studying?"

Keisuke rolled his eyes, "Yeah." He rested his elbows on the table, "Aniki, after we dominate Gunma, where are we going to go?"

"We'll see when we get to that point."

Ryousuke ate in silence a while as his brother tapped the table top with his fingers absentmindedly.

"Aniki? Do you think Mitsu-cha would want to come out tonight?" His brother continued to eat.

"I know. You don't trust her. I promise I'll be careful with what I say. It's just that I want to ask her something about Tokyo."

Ryousuke frowned, "There are other means of gathering information."

Keisuke shrugged, "Actually, I kind of feel sorry for her. Just moving here and not having any friends. She might like having some company."

Ryousuke recalled the image of Mitsu sitting alone under the tree, "It's up to you. Just be careful Keisuke."

The younger brother nodded, "I will. Besides you'll be there and she'll probably be with you most of the time anyway."

Ryousuke took another bite of food. He hadn't thought about that. He would be stuck with her when Takumi and his brother practiced. What was happening to him? He felt like he was losing his edge. Sleep. He hadn't gotten a good night's sleep in two days. That must be the reason he told himself.

"Okay, I'm going to phone dad and get her number." Keisuke said getting up and leaving the room.

Ryousuke watched as his brother left. He sensed an attraction between his brother and Mitsu, but it didn't seem like one that he'd ever sensed before. He quickly finished the remainder of his food and went upstairs to wash up, knowing that he wouldn't have the time when he got home from Shirane. He descended the stairs half an hour later and walked towards the living room with his laptop bag. Voices.

He walked around the corner to see Keisuke animatedly talking to Mitsu who was genuinely smiling.

"Aniki!" Keisuke said smiling, "She decided to come. I picked her up while you were in the shower, so that we could save time.

Ryousuke nodded simply, "Let's go. We'll wait outside." He walked towards the door without looking to see if they were following. He knew they would.

The three of them waited outside by the brothers' cars. Ryousuke glanced at his watch. He looked down the length of the driveway and there was the rest of the team.

Mitsu had glanced over towards Keisuke's older brother and noticed a small smile appear on his face. The first smile she had ever seen on him. He was proud of this team. No wonder he seemed so protective of them. Curiously her heart felt lighter as she continued to watch him smile, but it slowly faded as the team got closer and he was back to his normal self again.

The two vans and a white and black Hachiroku came to a stop before them. Everyone stepped out to greet the Takahashi brothers and to her surprise Mitsu.

"Okay, Let's go. I'll ride in the van." Ryousuke said as everyone started climbing back into their vehicles.

"You're not going to drive Aniki?" Keisuke queried surprised. His brother shook his head and climbed into the van.

Keisuke frowned and went around to get in his car.

Mitsu pulled open the door and climbed in. She shut the door and looked over at Keisuke, "Is everything okay?"

Keisuke nodded as he started the car and followed Takumi and the two vans. They were on the highway when he turned to glance at Mitsu, "Do you have a thing for my brother?"

Mitsu turned to him with wide eyes, "Why would you say that?!?!"

Keisuke shrugged and turned to the road again, "I saw you staring at him."

"I was not staring. I was looking just like I look at you. Or anyone for that matter." She said still keeping her eyes on him.

"Okay." Keisuke said shrugging, "I was just asking."

"Why would you ask that?" Mitsu asked confused.

"Because most girls try to land my brother."

"So I noticed. Today after classes several girls were flirting with him."

"Hmm." Keisuke nodded. It was nothing new to him. How his brother remained sane, not to mention single, was beyond him.

"How come he's still single?" Mitsu asked curiously.

Keisuke glanced at her frowning as he remembered his brother's warning about giving her information.

"Why do you want to know? Are you studying up on him or something?" He asked suspiciously. He had caught her watching Ryousuke earlier and now she was asking about his personal life?

"Of course not. I was just wondering, I mean with all the girls dying to date him, it doesn't seem like he should have any problems finding someone."

"It really is none of your business." Keisuke said seriously.

Mitsu sat back confused. Why did he sound so mad? She turned to look out the window, suddenly wanting desperately to go home, home to Tokyo and her friends... The remainder of the drive was quiet. Keisuke did not speak once to her and she felt herself sinking deeper into this feeling of loneliness. He had been the closes thing to a friend that she had right now... If she could even call him that.

The ride finally came to an end when they reached the Peak of Mount Shirane. Mitsu glanced at Keisuke briefly and undid her seat belt, "I'm sorry. It wasn't my place to ask about your brother." She said and stepped out of the car. She didn't wait for any of them as she started off.

"Hey!" Takumi said calling after her, "Where are you going?" He asked stepping out of his car.

"I saw a lake when we came up. I'm going to go take a walk and look around." She answered softly, "Have a good practice." She gave him a tentative smile and walked away.

Takumi watched her curiously. She seemed different than two days ago. He shrugged it off and went to join the rest of the Project D members.

"Is she okay?" Takumi asked walking over to Keisuke.

The young man shrugged and looked away.

"Why do you ask Fujiwara?" Ryousuke asked joining them.

"She was different."

"Oh?" Ryousuke said glancing beyond the two younger drivers and at Mitsu's retreating form. He turned back to the two drivers, "In any case, let's get to work. As you've both seen on the way up here, we're dealing with a two way road, so oncoming traffic is a possibility during the race. The roads are wider than we are used to, so make sure to keep your line. If you're taking the inside line, keep in mind that there is enough room to be taken on the outside. There's no gutter, but watch for the raised curb. The bridge should not be a concern with no discrepancy between it's width and that of the main road, but watch the surface for dampness. I noticed some spray on the sides from the river so depending on the weather conditions on Saturday be prepared to take into consideration the gripping potential of your tires by that time. For now, I want the two of you to just get used to the rhythm of the course. You have two hours and then we'll start timing."

Keisuke and Takumi nodded and went to their respective cars.

"Keisuke."

The young man paused and turned to his brother who was walking up to him.

"What happened?"

Keisuke sighed, "You were right Aniki. She was asking all these questions and I told her it wasn't any of her business."

"What did she ask?" Ryousuke asked casually.

"Well...First I caught her staring at you. She said she was just looking, but then she starts asking about your private life. Like why you're not seeing anyone. She sounded like she was studying you or something."

"I see." He looked off in the distance a moment. He turned to his brother, "I believe she was just being curious, but it's good to see that you're heading my warning. Don't worry about what se asked."

"But Aniki, doesn't it bother you that she's asking questions about you?"

Ryousuke shrugged, "I don't let it bother me. Keep that in mind Keisuke. When you race, you have to leave your emotions behind and think clearly, objectively."

Keisuke nodded.

"Now go. You only have two hours."

The younger brother nodded and climbed into his car and shut the door. Ryousuke watched him as he strapped on his seat belt and started the car. Keisuke glanced at his brother nodded and took off. Ryousuke watched him a moment then walked in the same direction Mitsu had been walking in earlier.


	4. Chapter 4: Truce and Clues

Chapter 4

Ryousuke casually approached the young woman sitting on the bench staring out at the milky green lake. She was on the phone he noticed. He paused and listened for a moment.

"No, I'm fine Satoro. I promise. Yes. I'll phone you tomorrow, okay? Don't worry about me. Yes. Goodnight." Mitsu ended the call and sighed.

He started towards her again and moved about the bench.

"Ryousuke-san!" She exclaimed jumping slightly in surprise. He had caught her off guard.

"What are you doing here alone Mitsu-chan?" He asked settling down on the bench beside her.

Mitsu watched him unsurely, "I... I was just visiting the area." She answered.

Ryousuke glanced at her briefly, "Don't worry about Keisuke. He jumps to conclusions very easily. A weakness of his at the moment." He didn't know why he was explaining things to her. He frowned. What was happening to him? He sounded like he cared about her feelings.

Mitsu turned to him surprised. He met her gaze briefly before turning to look at the lake.

"Why is he mad at me Ryousuke-san?" She asked softly.

Ryousuke remained silent.

Finally, Mitsu gave up on waiting for an answer. She sighed and turned to look at the scenery. Home...

"Missing someone?" He asked casually.

Mitsu nodded. They were silent a minute then she turned to him, "Shouldn't you be watching them practice?"

Ryousuke glanced at his watch, "They still have an hour and forty-five minutes to find a comfortable rhythm."

Mitsu nodded again and they were silent.

Ryousuke frowned. She seemed to understand what he was talking about. She knew more about cars then she was letting on, "Since you are driving tomorrow, you might as well tell me what kind of car you drive."

Mitsu smiled lightly, but Ryousuke sensed her apprehension, it radiated from her, "Why do you want to know so badly?"

He shrugged, "You know cars. I want to know what you chose to drive."

He saw her pupils dilated ever so slightly. A hit.

"My parents chose a car for me."

"No, they didn't. You know what you wanted and you got it." Ryousuke said as he held her gaze. Daring her to prove otherwise.

"And why would you think I know anything about cars?"

"You let things slip."

Mitsu could feel the butterflies flapping in her belly. How much had she let him see? What else did he know? How had she lost all her control? She searched her memory for everything she had ever said to Takahashi Ryousuke.

"I've watched races with my friends in Tokyo. I picked up a few things from them. They're big racing fans." She stated. She hoped he would fall for the diversion. It wasn't entirely a lie. She had gone to see many races, and she did pick up some information here and there. So it wasn't a lie she repeated to herself.

"Do your friends race?"

"One of my best friends does." She answered. There was no harm in telling him that.

"Would I have heard of them?"

"I don't think so. The Redliners?" She turned to see his reaction. Nothing.

"Mmm... A three membered team. Very local."

Mitsu looked at him in surprise, "Yes...It's okay, you can say that they aren't very good, but they're improving. They learn something new every time they race."

"You understood." Ryousuke said turning to look at the lake.

Mitsu realized her mistake then. She frowned. Since when did she mess things up so easily? The way she was going she was going to tell him everything. She stood up, "Please excuse me Ryousuke-san. I think I'm going to cal for a taxicab ad go home." She turned away and was about to walk away when Ryousuke called her.

"I will see you tomorrow morning. Same time."

Mitsu sighed and turned to him, "Ryousuke-san you know as well as I do that there some things you rather just keep to yourself. You do understand don't you?" It was more a statement that a question. A mysterious person like Takahashi Ryousuke had many secrets. They kept things inside, keeping it all to themselves. Ryousuke was staring directly at her, his face remained set in stone. But she knew that he understood. She nodded. He didn't have to say anything. She sighed, "I really rather drive alone." When he didn't say anything she gave him a small smile and turned to leave again.

"Are you shy to drive me Mitsu-chan?" Ryousuke baited.

She snapped back around, "Of course not!"

"Then why?" Ryousuke asked in infuriatingly calm voice.

"I told you why!" Mitsu exclaimed getting frustrated.

"No you didn't. Why?" Still that same calm emotionless voice.

"Because you're a threat to me that's why!" She blurted out. She gasped ad covered her mouth with both her hands. What had she just done? She was too shocked at what she had just done to notice that Ryousuke was taken aback.

The surprise was cleared from his features before Mitsu had recovered. He had not expected such a development. He had been so worried at the possibility that she was a threat to some aspect of his life that he had never entertained any other options to explain her strange behaviour. He was slipping up very badly lately.

"I have to go..." Mitsu said and turned to walk away very briskly.

Ryousuke stared at her a moment. She felt threatened by him? Why? He walked after her and easily caught up to her without looking rushed, "Mitsu-chan."

She ignored him.

"Wait." Ryousuke said taking hold of her arm.

Mitsu stopped and Ryousuke was able to turn her around, "Please let me go Ryousuke-san."

"Mitsu-chan."

She didn't look up at him. She swallowed, "P-Please..." She said her voice wavering.

Ryousuke frowned, "Come." He said and gently led her back to the bench over-looking the lake, "Please sit down." He helped her sit. Only then did he release her arm. He took a step back and looked at her. Her head was still lowered. He couldn't see her eyes at all. He silently took a deep breath then moved to sit beside her, "I didn't mean for you to feel this way." He stated softly.

"It's not you..." Mitsu said her voice still wavering. She looked up at him.

Ryousuke was caught off guard. Her bright blue eyes were brimming with tears. Something snapped within him.

"Ryousuke-san..."

The young man pulled her into his arms and before he knew it he was whispering softly to her. She melted instantly in his embrace. Her warm body and her overwhelming feminine scent sent his mind and his senses spiraling out of control. It confused him and more of a concern was that it scared him. But he couldn't seem to let her go. He didn't know how long he had been holding her, but she wasn't shaking any longer.

She pulled back gently and Ryousuke released her. She looked up at him. Her composure had come back to her, "Thank you."

Ryousuke simply nodded, "Stay. I rather you went home with us instead of taking a taxi-cab. I insist on it."

Mitsu hesitated then finally ascended and nodded, "Okay, Ryousuke-san."

The young man nodded, "I have to get back to the team. Will you be staying here?"

Mitsu nodded.

Ryousuke owed his head slightly and stepped back a few steps before he turned and casually walked back to where the vans were parked.

Mitsu watched as he walked away. His stride was long, casual and confident. She shivered, suddenly feeling cold. Her body was still feeling the effect of his warmth. It confused her. She sighed heavily and turned to look out at the lake. She had managed everything back in Tokyo, why couldn't she do it in Gunma? In all aspects, it should have been easier, shouldn't it? With its lower population levels, she should have been able to hide her secret with less difficulty. She would have to worry about less people. But no! There had to be someone like Takahashi Ryousuke here. Someone that seemed to be able to read her thoughts... She groaned as she recalled the information she had let slip out when Ryousuke was pushing for answers. For some reason he knew how to push her buttons. It made her feel... Vulnerable. That was the only way she could think of to explain it. She wrapped her arms around herself.

Back at the summit of Mount Shirane in the parking lot...

Ryousuke watched as Takumi pulled up towards them followed by Keisuke. Both drivers got out of the car and turned to him, "Are you ready?" He asked studying each face carefully.

Both nodded and by the looks he saw on their faces, they both thought they had achieved their rhythm, "After each run, stop and hear your time. Every run has to be faster than the next. Think. Improvise. Be aware of everything around you."

The two drivers nodded and got back in their cars. Ryousuke turned to Fumihiro, "Time them. Keep sending them down until they've 'both' bested their quickest time three times. Then come and get me."

The men nodded and watched as Takahashi Ryousuke went to one of the vans and climbed in. He reclined the seat and closed his eyes. He needed to rest. He needed to think clearly when he awoke.

"Three times?" Fumihiro repeated curiously. Ryousuke didn't usually put a number on the runs the drivers drove. He turned to look down the course. What was he thinking?

"Fumihiro-san."

The man turned to see Mitsu come to stand beside him. He offered her a smile, "Did you enjoy the area?"

She nodded, "There is a beautiful lake over there." She said nodding and gesturing to where she had just come from.

He smiled again and wondered suddenly if Ryousuke had joined her earlier when he had walked off without a word or left any instruction, "Did you see Ryousuke?"

She nodded, "Hasn't he returned yet?" She asked surprised, "He left quite a while ago."

Fumihiro nodded, "Oh no, he's back. I was just wondering if he met up with you. He's sleeping in the van."

"Sleeping?"

He nodded and studied her curiously, "He's not one to waste any time."

Mitsu just nodded. It was understandable. With Medical school and running two racing teams, "Fumihiro-san?"

"Hmm?"

"Why does Ryousuke-san not appoint someone else to lead the Redsuns while he's working on Project D?"

"He personally recruited those members. They are part of the team because they respect him. Some have enough experience to start their own teams but they choose to stay. I think its because they choose to stay with him, that he won't abandon them."

"Running one team is a lot of work, I can't imagine how much two teams and medical school would be. Where does he find the time?" She was mainly asking herself the last part.

"Anywhere he can." Fumihiro answered softly. He glanced at her and wondered if she had thought about what he had said about the 'Lone' White Comet of Akagi.

"So, what re they working on now?"

Fumihiro turned to her, "You're interested in racing?"

Mitsu shrugged, "My best friends runs the Redliners in Tokyo. I get dragged along most of the time."

He cocked an eyebrow, "Are you spying on us?"

Mitsu turned to him with a large smile, "That's right, because you know that they really have a shot at beating you guys!" She declared rolling her eyes and laughing.

"Actually, I've never heard of them."

"Really? Ryousuke-san seemed to know about them."

"Ryousuke knows a lot."

Mitsu smiled, "Well anyway, yeah, they've been around a few years but they're not as focused on racing as you guys are. It's more of a hobby for them."

"I see."

She sighed suddenly, "Watching you guys makes me homesick." She said softly.

"Why did you come then?

"It's familiar and it reminds me of home."

Fumihiro frowned. She was contradicting herself.

Mitsu saw it and smiled, "I know. Strange. But even though it makes me homesick, I still like to think of home." She shrugged and turned to watch as Keisuke's FD appeared over the ridge and came to a stop. His mechanic went over to him.

After a minute or so the man straightened and looked over at them, "Mitsu-chan." He said and waved her over.

Mitsu turned to look at Fumihiro confused. He shrugged, "Go."

She walked over to the driver's side as the mechanic gave Keisuke final instruction and walked away. She stepped up to the open window, "Keisuke-san..."

Keisuke looked up at her, "I'm sorry for my rude behaviour earlier Mitsu-chan. I jumped to conclusions. I thought you were spying on my brother."

"Spying on your brother!" She gasped, "Why?"

Keisuke shrugged, "It's happened before."

"I see..." She sighed, "Well I'm sorry too Keisuke-san. I didn't know."

Keisuke nodded, "I should get going or we'll be here forever!"

Mitsu smiled and nodded, "Be careful."

Keisuke frowned. It was such a girl thing to say, but he nodded anyway and took off again.

Mitsu watched him and walked back towards Fumihiro.

"Everything okay?"

She nodded with a relieved smile, "Yes." They stood silent a minute, "So, you never said what they were working on."

"Timed runs. They both have to best their fastest time three times before they can stop practicing."

"Really? That's a strange way to approach things. I've never heard anyone practicing like this."

"I think Ryousuke is trying to make them think a lot more. Then again I can't be sure. Only he knows the true reason for making them do what they do." He shrugged having gotten used to the way Takahashi Ryousuke operated. There were always surprises though. It only showed how much more people didn't know about him.

Mitsu continued to watch as the two drivers repeatedly came back to check their times. She wondered how long they could keep this up. She looked about and noticed that everyone looked tired. She yawned then. Even she was getting sleepy. She glanced at her watch. It was just after one am. It was very late. Takumi pulled into the lot followed by Keisuke.

"Finally!" Keisuke's voice could be heard.

She smiled, "I guess they're finished!"

Fumihiro nodded and walked off towards the van. She saw him knock on the window lightly. When the door slid open she turned away but watched from the corner of her eyes as Ryousuke exited and the two men walked towards the exhausted drivers.

"Good work." He pulled out a CD and passed it to Takumi, "Footage of the course. Study it as much as you can. Keisuke I have one for you too. Let's go home, it's late." He then turned to the hachiroku's mechanic, "Matsumoto, ride back with Fujiwara." He said then walked back to the van.

Takumi glanced over at the mechanic who nodded and turned to him. He shrugged and walked over to him, "I guess I'm coming with you!" The two climbed into the car.

"Mitsu-chan." Keisuke called looking towards her.

"Coming!" She said and rushed towards his car.

She climbed in and buckled her seat belt.

Keisuke watched her, "You know, you might be the only girl that's been in this car that hasn't had problems with the belts."

Mitsu laughed, "My best friend had these in his car." She turned to see him staring, "He races for a hobby back in Tokyo. And no his team is not as good as yours."

Keisuke frowned, "How did you know, I-"

Mitsu's laugh cut him off, "My best friend races remember. You all think a like!"

Keisuke rolled his eyes and placed the car in gear. They started for the exit.

They spoke very little on the ride home, just about a few things such as what they liked to do in their spare time. When Keisuke noticed that she was nodding off he slowly allowed for more time between topics until she was sound asleep. He glanced at her now as they pulled into the driveway of his home. She wasn't drop dead gorgeous but she was quite pretty. And innocent looking. He frowned. Was his brother right about her being a threat? It didn't seem possible. Could his brother be wrong? No, that couldn't be! What was he thinking! Ryousuke was never wrong about people! He parked the car and left it idling as he quietly unstrapped himself and stepped out, leaving Mitsu sleeping in the passenger seat.

"Aniki." He said walking over to his brother who was just exiting the van, "I'm going to take Mitsu home."

"How are you feeling?"

Keisuke looked at his curiously, "Fine."

"Okay." He relented. He glanced passed his brother to his car, "Are you getting along now?"

Keisuke nodded, "Did you know her best friend races? He's on a team called the Redliners."

"I know."

"You already know?" Keisuke smirked. He shook his head, "Well I'm going then!" He said and turned and left.

Ryousuke watched as the yellow FD left again. He turned to the Hachiroku, where Matsumoto was stepping out of the car and bidding Takumi goodbye. The driver turned to him. Their eyes met and Ryousuke nodded. Takumi nodded and backed out of the driveway. Ryousuke also watched him go before turning to everyone else, "Thank you all for coming. See you all tomorrow at the same time."

"Okay!"

"Goodnight!"

"Bye." The remaining people called as they gathered in their respective cars and started down the Takahashi driveway. Ryousuke watched as they all left the property before he headed inside to his room. He was tired. He had a lot of work to get done for tomorrow.


	5. Chapter 5: A Quiver of Trust

Author's note:

Thank you GT4SilverShadow for the info! I had done some research and thought I had found a mountain perfect for a race venue. So I was a little shocked that Haruna was Akina. I double checked and you were right! It really bothered me so I went looking for another mountain in Gunma. Unfortunately the next closest one is practically invaded by a temple or simply covered in snow, or has no drivable roads (So it seemed from the pictures!) So For everyone that has read the 'old' versions of chapter 1-4, Mount Haruna is now replaced by Mount Shirane (North-East Gunma)

Once again thanks GT4SilverShadow for the INFO! I apreciate it!

* * *

Chapter 5

The next day Ryousuke drove to the University alone. Something inside of him relented that morning and he called Mitsu to see if she still felt the same. She did. So, once again, he drove alone.

Ryousuke slowed as he pulled into his driveway and turned off the engine. His brother wasn't home. He climbed out of the car just as his cell phone started to ring.

"Hello?" It was his mother. She sounded 'devastated'. His eyes narrowed as she continued to speak, "Okay. I'm going now." He ended the call and slid back into the car. The engine roared to life and he rushed back down the driveway and onto the street. He raced towards her house. The police had called his parents clinic with the news. They were also on their way, but wouldn't make it there for another hour or so. The FC's engine screamed with urgency as Ryousuke slammed it into second through the sharp turn. He was back in third in an instant as he sped out of the turn and down the street. How long had she known? How long had she been alone with the knowledge? He consciously pushed his car harder. Something was calling him, telling him he needed to hurry. He flew up her driveway and came to an abrupt stop in front of the house: beside a yellow FD.

Ryousuke stepped out of the car and looked at it. Keisuke was already here. He turned to the house and calmly walked to the door. She wasn't alone after all. He knocked on the door and waited.

"Aniki!" Keisuke said in relief, "I'm so glad you're here! So you got my message then?"

"Message?"

"I phoned you and left you a message."

"Oh." He said. He hadn't bothered to check his messages yet that day, "How is Mitsu-chan?"

"That's the problem. I don't know what to do. She keeps saying she's okay. She's doing the laundry right now." He stepped back to allow his brother to enter the house.

Everything was quiet. He looked about.

"She's downstairs." Keisuke informed him pointing to a door under the stairs.

Ryousuke nodded, "What happened?"

"I got a phone call from her a few hours ago. She asked if I could come over. I found out later that the police wouldn't leave until she had someone to stay with her. They said she shouldn't be alone. Anyway, after they left she started going around the house cleaning and arranging things. She hasn't stopped since."

Ryousuke nodded, "Could you make some tea Keisuke?"

His brother nodded and left him. He then walked over to the stairs and pulled open the door that led to the basement He descended the stairs and saw her throwing clothes into the dryer, "Mitsu-chan." He said casually before he entered the room.

The young lady turned to him. She smiled lightly, "Ryousuke-san. I didn't here anyone come in."

"Keisuke let me in." He said and walked towards her. He watched as she continued to toss the wet clothes from the washer into the dryer. She nodded simply.

Ryousuke stood quietly and watched her.

"That's getting annoying." She said as she tossed the last handful of clothes in the dryer. She closed the door and straightened. She stole a quick look at him as she pushed a loose strand of her hair out of her eyes. He simply watched her.

She huffed and picked up the laundry baskets and started back up the stairs. Ryousuke kept his eyes on her as she passed him. He reached out and took hold of her arm, "Mitsu-chan. Look at me."

She kept her eyes lowered to the floor, "I have things to do." She said as she pulled out of his grasp and rushed up the stairs.

Ryousuke watched her a second then followed suit. When he reached the main floor once more she was nowhere in sight. He walked about until he found the kitchen. Keisuke was leaning against the counter waiting for the water to boil.

"Did Mitsu-chan pass by here?"

"I think she went upstairs. Is she going to be okay Aniki?"

"Mmm." Was all he said as he also leaned up against the counter.

Keisuke searched the cupboards for the mugs. He pulled three out and started pouring the hot water into the kettle.

"What's going to happen Aniki?"

"She'll probably live with some relatives." Ryousuke said casually.

Keisuke served the tea.

Ryousuke turned to him and picked up two mugs and walked out of the room.

Keisuke sighed and carried his mug to the table where he sat down and drank his tea.

During that time...

Ryousuke climbed the stairs and casually searched the area for Mitsu. He looked into the first room. He could tell it was Mitsu's room from all the medical books on the desk beside the bed. The next room he checked, looked like an office. He walked on down the hall passed the bathroom to the last room. Her parents' room. He stepped inside and found her sitting on the large bed facing the pillows and headboard. She was sitting as though she was watching them sleep.

He walked up to her and held out a mug.

Mitsu's gaze wavered and she turned to take the mug from him. She stared down at it's content. Ryousuke stepped back from her and went to the window. He sipped the hot liquid silently and looked outside.

"Why are you here Takahashi Ryousuke?" She asked softly.

He turned to her. She was holding her mug in both her hands, staring blankly down into it, "Your father meant a lot to mine." He said casually, "And neither of them would want you to be alone."

"Keisuke's here."

Ryousuke nodded even though she wasn't looking at him. Keisuke...

"He asked me to come." He took another sip of his tea.

"I want to be alone."

"No."

Mitsu finally looked up and glared at him.

The pain in her eyes made his breath catch in his chest.

"You are such an infuriating man!" She snapped.

Ryousuke smirked and nodded. He casually sipped his tea.

"I hate you!" Mitsu yelled as tears welled up in her eyes, "I hate you! I want you to leave!"

"No." He said softer now as he set his mug on the dresser near by and approached her.

"Stay away!" She said moving further onto the bed.

Ryousuke reached her in a quick step and took hold of the mug. Her hands immediately released it when his fingers brushed hers. He placed her mug beside his and went to her again.

"I said stay away!"

"No." He sat down beside her and pulled her into his arms. She struggled and tried to push him away.

"Let go of me! Let go!" She yelled but her screams were muffled by Ryousuke's shirt.

"Shh..." He soothed as he kept her close to his body, "It's alright... I won't hurt you..."

Several very slow minutes later, Mitsu calmed. Ryousuke stroked her back gently. He heard her sniff. The sound made his heart ache. He reached up with one hand and brushed her hair out of her face. It was so soft. He glanced down at her. Her breathing had become slow and deep, she had fallen asleep. He carefully pulled away from her and leaned her down on the bed. He got up and placed her legs on the bed. He then went to the foot of the bed and pulled the duvet over her.

"Ryousuke-san?"

The young man froze and turned to look down at her. Her eyes were still closed. Her lips pouty, "Don't go..."

"Sleep Mitsu-chan." He said softly as he tucked the cover under her chin. He was about to straighten out and leave when her hand darted out from under the covers and grabbed a handful of his shirt, "Please... Don't go..."

Ryousuke covered her hand with his and slowly loosened her grip on his shirt, "Okay. Okay, I'll stay. Now sleep Mitsu-chan. Close your eyes." He said and watched as she continued to watch him, "Close your eyes Mitsu-chan..." He said as he reached up to her face and stroked her hair. His other hand continued to hold her delicate hand in his.

He lowered his body to the floor and continued to watch her. Her grip tightened on his hand as she felt him move, "Shh..." He soothed as he stilled. He sat quietly on the floor and waited.

Keisuke got up from the sofa as he heard the knock on the door, "Mom! Dad!"

Emi stepped inside and hugged her son.

"Mom!" Keisuke said exasperated and tried to get away from her. But when he saw the pained look on her face he stopped and held her back.

He glanced at his father who also looked miserable, "Where's your brother?"

"He's upstairs with Mitsu-chan." Keisuke said as his mother released him and wiped away a few tears.

"How is she?" She asked.

Keisuke shrugged, "I don't know..." He wasn't any good at explaining things.

"I'm going to go check on them." Takahashi Fujimaro said as he took off his shoes and started for the stairs. Emi and Keisuke followed behind him. Keisuke was curious to know what they were doing. He had not seen his brother since he had left the kitchen almost two hours ago. They reached the top floor and walked down the hall, peeking into the rooms as they passed them. When they reached the last room, Fujimaro stopped. Emi stepped to his side and also peeked inside.

"Poor things." She said as a small sad smile appeared on her face.

"What? What is it?" Keisuke said as he moved to his mother's side and looked over her head. Inside the room, Mitsu lay sleeping on the bed wrapped snuggly in the comforter. One of her hands lay to the side, holding tightly onto his brother's hand who was sitting cross-legged on the floor with his head resting against the bed. He was also sleeping.

Fujimaro quietly stepped into the room and kneeled by his eldest son, "Ryousuke." He said and touched the young man's shoulder.

Ryousuke's eyes opened. He lifted his head, "Dad." He said. He saw his mother and brother carefully entering the room. He casually gave his mother a reassuring smile as he discreetly and gently removed his hand from Mitsu's.

Fujimaro stood up and allowed his son to get to his feet, "Let's go back downstairs and talk." He whispered softly and motioned for the door.

Ryousuke nodded and casually strolled out of the room. He nodded to his brother and stepped out.

Keisuke took a last look at Mitsu and followed his brother downstairs. Emi stepped out of the room and waited for her husband who joined her and reached inside to close the door softly behind him. They shared a look then quietly made their way downstairs to join their children. They entered the living room where Keisuke was watching TV and Ryousuke was silently sitting on the couch. He was the first to turn to them as they entered the room. His eyes followed them as they took a seat in the love seat to their right.

Keisuke became aware of their presence and lowered the volume on the television.

Fujimaro sighed and looked up at his sons, "You both drove?" He said suddenly.

Keisuke nodded, "She phoned me and asked me to come over."

"She phoned you?"

Keisuke nodded. Why did his dad seem a little disappointed at that small bit of information? He looked around the room at his brother and his mother. His mother only smiled reassuringly at him. He felt better.

"There's going to be a few changes." Fujimaro said softly. He looked up at his wife who took his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Changes?" Keisuke repeated confused.

"It is still unofficial until we speak to the Fukotomis' lawyer, but your mother and I were appointed Mitsu's legal guardians if... If anything were to happen to them."

"What?!?" Keisuke exclaimed as his lower jaw dropped open in shock.

Emi nodded in confirmation. She turned to study Ryousuke. He was impassively sitting and listening to them.

"Ryousuke?"

Obviously her husband had noticed too.

"Yes?"

"Is everything okay?" He asked.

The young man nodded, "When will you be in contact with the lawyers?"

His father shook his head, "I don't know... I don't know."

Emi placed a comforting hand on his back, "In any case. We are not going to leave her here alone." Her eyes rested on Ryousuke briefly before she turned her attention on her grieving husband again.

Ryousuke leaned back on the couch. What had that look meant? Something was very wrong here. There was something they weren't sharing with him. They were hiding something. He passed a frustrated hand through his hair and got to his feet, "I'll be outside."

They all turned to look at him.

"Me too." Keisuke said and went after his brother.

Emi and Fujimaro exchanged another look.

Keisuke slipped on his shoes and opened the front door. Ryousuke turned to take a quick look and then resumed staring out at the cars. He took another drag of his cigarette.

Keisuke pulled the door closed and took a seat on the front steps. He too pulled out a cigarette and proceeded to light it. They remained silent a long time.

Keisuke sighed suddenly, "This is sure going to make being careful around Mitsu harder." He said casually. His brother didn't move from where he was standing. He watched as Ryousuke finished his current cigarette and moved to light another one. That got his attention. He had never seen his brother smoke one cigarette after another, "Aniki?" He called carefully.

Ryousuke remained silent.

Keisuke started to worry. He got to his feet and went to his brother, "Aniki?" He said again.

"Keisuke." Ryousuke said turning to look at his younger brother.

"That's your second cigarette."

Ryousuke looked down at the small object between his fingers, "Mmm."

"Are you worried about Mitsu living with us?"

"No." There was no need to worry his younger brother. He brought the cigarette to his lips and took a long deep drag.

The front door to the house opened again. The brothers turned to see their mother exit the house and head over to them. She frowned at the cigarettes in their hands but didn't say anything. They both knew what she thought about smoking, and right now she didn't think they needed her to remind them. She saw Keisuke toss his cigarette to the ground and snuff it out. Ryousuke turned away and continued to smoke. Something was wrong. She sighed sadly, "Did the two of you want to talk about anything?" She asked. She knew that Ryousuke wouldn't say anything. But when and if he chose to, it would never be in front of his younger brother. She looked at Keisuke and saw him glance at Ryousuke. So he felt that something was wrong too...

She realized then that neither of them was going to say anything, "Your father just got a call from the Fukotomi lawyer. He's on his way here."

"So is she going to come home with us tonight?" Keisuke asked.

"I don't know."

"She should stay here tonight." Ryousuke surprised them by saying.

"We'll have to see." Emi said taking a quick glance at Ryousuke before giving Keisuke a smile. Her younger son was definitely the more openly sensitive and emotional of the two. That wasn't to say that Ryousuke was cold. In fact he could be just as sensitive and emotional, if not more, but he kept it all hidden inside. The reason? She wasn't sure. He had always been this way, "Why don't the two of you come inside now?"

Keisuke nodded and turned to his brother who took another drag of his cigarette before getting rid of it. He turned to them.

Emi touched his arm and gave it a squeeze, "Let's go."

Ryousuke felt the small hairs on the back of his neck tingle. There it was again. Something. She was hiding something...

They walked back to the house.

"I'll go check on Mitsu-chan. Ryousuke would you like to come with me?" She asked casually.

"I'll wait with Keisuke and Dad." He replied casually with a nod and started in the direction of the living room. Keisuke shrugged and followed his brother.

Emi watched as the boys left. She sighed and started up the stairs. She quietly made her way to the main bedroom and quietly pushed open the door to enter. She walked up to the bed and looked down at the sleeping young lady. Her brows were knit together and her hand fisted tightly, "You poor child..." She said sadly.

The young lady moaned softly.

"Shh... It's okay..." She cooed stroking her hair gently.

The girl quieted at her touch.

"Ryousuke-san..."

Emi stared down at the girl curiously.

"Don't go..." She stirred again, "Don't go... Ryousuke-san..."

"Shh..." Emi said and tucked her securely under the covers. She watched as the girl stilled and seemed to fall back into a deep sleep. She straightened and started out of the room. She shut the door almost all the way and went back downstairs. She wanted to be able to hear the girl if she needed anything.

The three men looked up at her as she entered the living room, "She's still asleep." She said simply and sat down. She glanced at her older son and noticed him stiffen when she met his gaze. She turned away and looked at her husband, "How are you doing dear?"

"Mmm..." He replied simply as he continued to stare at the floor.

Keisuke glanced at his parents briefly before turning back to the television set again.

Ryousuke got to his feet, "I'll make some tea." He said and left the room. He walked into the kitchen and went to boil some water. He leaned against the counter and crossed his arms as he fell into deep thought. He frowned unconsciously as he couldn't sort out his thoughts. He felt so confused. Things were happening all around him and he couldn't seem to keep track of it all. Nothing was making sense. He hated this feeling! He hated not knowing what was happening! He hated not being able to sort out all this information coming his way. Nothing made sense. Since when was his world filled with secrets? He was starting to feel like he was being suffocated by mounting secrets and confusion.

"Honey, the water is boiling."

Ryousuke snapped out of his thoughts and the frown disappeared from his face. He watched as I mother moved about him and went to pour the water into the kettle. He uncrossed his arms and moved away from the cupboard where he had seen Keisuke had found the mugs and pulled out four of them. He brought it over to where his mother was standing and watching him.

"Is there something you want to ask me, dear?" She said casually and started to pour the tea.

"No." Ryousuke replied simply. He picked up two mugs and waited for his mother to grab the other two before they started back to the living room.

"Ryousuke, wait." She said as they stepped out of the kitchen.

Her son turned to her.

She sighed, "Please keep in mind that we do things for your own good. We only have your best interest at heart. For both you and Keisuke. We love you."

Ryousuke offered his mother a smile, "I know mom. We know." He said and nodded.

"Okay. Just remember that. Don't forget." Emi reiterated.

Ryousuke nodded.

Emi nodded, "Okay..." She said and led the way into the living room.

Ryousuke watched her. His insides felt like they were being twisted into oblivion. Why had she felt the need to remind him of her love for his brother and himself? He followed silently and passed the tea to his brother and also sat down.

The doorbell sounded.

The Takahashis all looked at each other. Fujimaro finally got to his feet, "I'll answer that."

Emi turned to her eldest son, "Ryousuke, can you go and make sure Mitsu is alright? If she's awake see if she's alright to come down."

Her son nodded simply and got up. Emi watched him leave then turned to Keisuke. She went around the coffee table to sit beside him, "You know we love you Keisuke, right?"

"Mom!" Keisuke exclaimed blushing

"You do know, right?" She wasn't going to be deterred.

"Yes! We know!" He declared rolling his eyes.

Emi nodded and smiled. She leaned over and kissed his cheek.

"Argh! Mom!" Keisuke said and rubbed his cheek ferociously.

She smiled lightly.

"Mr. Adashi, I'd like you to meet my wife Takahashi Emi and my youngest son Takahashi Keisuke." Fujimaro introduced as he led forty-ish looking man into the room. Emi and Keisuke got to their feet to shake the lawyers hand then they all took their seats again. Fujimaro looked over at his wife.

"Mr. Adashi, our oldest son will be done soon. He went to check on Miss Fukotomi."

The lawyer nodded and settled his briefcase on the coffee table, "You all being here definitely makes things a little easier. Of course these things are never easy to do."

"Isn't it a little soon to be going over the will?" Keisuke asked suddenly, "I mean she just lost her parents this morning." He was frowning in disgust.

Mr. Adashi nodded, "Yes, it is abnormal. But it couldn't be helped. There is the question of custody over Miss Fukotomi to be settled right away."

Keisuke quieted. Right. Custody. She was going to live with them. Why else would they have to be present for the reading of the will?

"Mr. Adashi, can I get you some tea? We just made it." Emi offered politely.

"That would be great. Thank you." He said nodding.

Emi got to her feet again and disappeared.

Ryousuke heard rustling behind the door as he approached the room she was in. He knocked lightly on the door and peeked inside. A pair of sleep laden blue eyes turned onto him. He entered the room, "How are you feeling?"

She shrugged, "Okay." She answered softly.

Ryousuke nodded, "Your parents' lawyer is downstairs."

Her eyes darted onto his. Searching.

He nodded simply, "Come. We'll be with you." He said. Mitsu hesitated then slowly climbed out of the bed. She slowly walked towards the door and glanced back to make sure Ryousuke was following. She slowly made her way down the stairs.

"Living room." Ryousuke said casually placing a hand on her lower back to lead her in the right direction. He removed his hand as they came around the corner.

Everyone got to their feet.

"Mitsu-chan." Emi said softly and extended a hand to her.

Mitsu went to her and sat down where Emi offered, "Mitsu dear, this is Mr. Adashi your parents' legal adviser. Mr. Adashi this is Fukotomi Mitsu."

The man leaned over to shake her hand, "I'm sorry about the circumstances of our meeting Miss." He said softly and sat down.

Everyone else took a seat.

"Thank you." Mitsu replied softly.

The man looked about the room, "Well let's get started then. Your parents wanted me to go over something right away. The rest can wait." He opened his briefcase and pulled out a folder and then the will.

"As you know Takahashi Fujimaro was your father's best friend, so it isn't surprising that he appointed Takahashi as your legal Guardian until you marry."

Shock filled Mitsu's face. She turned to Takahashi who nodded solemnly. Had he known about this? She looked at Emi then Keisuke and Ryousuke. None of them looked surprised, "Did you guys know?" She asked in hushed voice.

"We knew." Emi said softly, "We told the boys when you were sleeping." She added having noticed that she was watching her sons.

"Here." Mr. Adashi passed Mitsu an envelope, "He wanted to explain his decision to you."

Mitsu gently held the envelope in her hands, "Do I have to read it now?"

Adashi shook his head, "No of course not." He gave her a sympathetic smile.

She hated that. She didn't want everyone's sympathy.

"Well that's all for now. I will be in touch in about a week to go over the rest of the will." He was about to close his briefcase.

"Wait." Mitsu said suddenly, "Why do we have to wait a week?"

The man looked taken aback, "Well... To give you time... To Mourn..."

"I'd rather just get it over with." Mitsu said meeting the man's gaze.

"Miss Fukotomi, this is probably not the best time for you..."

"There is never a 'best' time for this. Let's get it over with now."

Adashi sighed sadly, "Mitsu-chan, your parents wanted it this way. They needed you to know whom you were staying with right away. But the rest... You are not to be told until a week later. Please understand. I have to honor their wishes."

Mitsu nodded and lowered her gaze to the floor.

"Well I should get going. Thank you for seeing me Fukotomi Mitsu." The lawyer said as he got to his feet. Fujimaro also stood up and led Adashi to the front doors.

"Would you like some tea Mitsu dear?" Emi asked.

The girl nodded, "Yes, please." She said looking up to give her a smile.

"Okay, I'll be right back." She said and left the room.

Keisuke looked over at his brother then turned to Mitsu who was fidgeting with the letter in her hand, "Mitsu, are you disappointed to be living with us?"

"Keisuke." Ryousuke said sternly.

"Sorry." His younger brother apologized.

Mitsu looked at them, "It's okay Keisuke. I was just a little surprised. I never expected... Well you know."

Keisuke nodded, "Do you have many relatives?"

Mitsu shook her head, "I told you, you were lucky to have a brother Keisuke. I really have no one now." She said softly.

Keisuke turned to his brother worried, "You have no relatives?"

"I have a cousin, but we've never spoken. I don't even know where she lives." Mitsu sighed.

The brothers were silent. Neither knew what to say in this situation. Fortunately their father and their mother entered the room.

"Here you go dear." She said passing Mitsu the cup of tea.

The young lady smiled politely and sipped the tea.

"I'm going to see if I can make something for dinner." Emi said and left the room again.

Keisuke turned on the television.

"Excuse me." Fujimaro said and also left the room.

Mitsu and Keisuke both turned to Ryousuke as he suddenly started shifting around searching his pockets.

"What are you looking for Aniki?"

"My Cigarettes."

"Well here. Take mine." Keisuke said reaching in his pant pocket and pulling out the small packet.

Mitsu grabbed it from him, "Don't give him that. And you shouldn't be smoking either!"

Keisuke watched stunned. He turned to his brother.

"Mitsu-chan," Ryousuke started.

Mitsu jumped to her feet, "I'm not going to let you guys kill yourselves!" She said and stormed out of the room taking the cigarettes with her.

Ryousuke glanced at his brother who was still watching stunned. He moved towards the couch and sat down.

Keisuke followed his brother's example and settled back and turned to watch the TV. At the next commercial he turned to him, "You were holding her hand."

"Hmm?"

"I saw you holding her hand." Keisuke stated again.

Ryousuke nodded simply.

"You said to be careful around her."

Ryousuke nodded again.

"Why were you holding her hand?"

Ryousuke wasn't sure what to say. He had hope neither of his family members had seen. But it obviously wasn't the case this time, "She didn't want me to leave her side." He stated simply.

Keisuke fully turned to him suddenly, "Aniki? Are you going to date again?"

Ryousuke met his gaze, "That's an odd question Keisuke."

"Well... You haven't dated since... you know..."

"Keisuke, that doesn't mean I've stopped dating. I just... Haven't found the time."

"Oh. So... You don't think girls are a distraction?"

"Why do you ask Keisuke?"

"Aniki... I don't want to see you like that other time again..."

"Keisuke." Ryousuke smiled reassuringly, "Don't worry. My focus is solely on my medical studies, the Redsuns and Project D. I don't have the time for anything else right now." That seemed to calm his brother. His features seemed to relax, "Do you remember what I told you Keisuke?"

Keisuke frowned.

Ryousuke sighed, "You have to remember Keisuke that whatever happens to me, does not have to happen to you. Do you understand? Not all women are the same."

"But it sure seems like it sometimes."

Ryousuke nodded, "Sometimes. But do you understand what I've told you Keisuke?"

"I understand Aniki."

"Good."

The brothers were silent again.

Ryousuke got to his feet and started walking away.

"Where are you going?"

"I need one of those cigarettes." He said without hesitation and left the room. He glanced in the kitchen. His parents were preparing something for dinner. He quietly stepped out without bringing attention to himself and started up the stairs. He heard the flushing of the toilet. The bathroom door was open so he approached and saw Mitsu standing over the toilet bowl staring down at it.

She looked up and met his gaze then three the empty cigarette package in the garbage. Ryousuke frowned. She sighed and walked towards him, "Like I said before. You should know better." She said and brushed passed him and went to her room.

Ryousuke's jaw clenched. She was really getting on his nerves now. His day wasn't going very well, with all these strange feelings and thoughts swirling in his head. He had really needed one of those cigarettes to help him relax.

Mitsu peaked out from her room to see that Ryousuke was still standing at the bathroom door. He looked like a rally tightly wrapped coil about to spring, "Ryousuke-san?"

The young man turned to her. His gaze cold.

Her gaze wavered momentarily, "Never mind." She said and retreated back in her room.

Ryousuke frowned. He quietly took a deep breath and released t slowly as he shut his eyes. Then he went to her room and knocked on the open door.

Mitsu looked up at him for a brief second then went over to her closet.

Ryousuke took that as a sign that it was okay for him to enter.

Mitsu walked past him with her suitcase.

She was packing?

"How did you start smoking Ryousuke-san?" She asked softly as she started moving clothes from her dresser into the suitcase.

Ryousuke leaned against the wall and watched her. When she looked up at him he shrugged.

She raised a brow, "There are other ways to cope with stress." She said and walked back to her dresser.

Ryousuke felt like she had punched him. How did she know he felt a little stressed? Did it show? Know one had ever read him so easily before. He frowned. He was really losing his touch.

Mitsu turned to him again and saw him frowning. Whatever he was thinking about seemed to be upsetting him. She walked up to him and took hold of his arm, "Come and sit down Ryousuke-san." She said and led him to her bed where she motioned for him to sit. She then moved about to resume her packing.

Ryousuke studied her. She was trying to make him comfortable? When she was the one who was in need of comforting? Was he so out of tune with his body's reactions that she could sense all his feelings of confusion and stress? No, he couldn't be, "What are you packing Mitsu-chan?"

"To move..." She answered softly without looking at him

"You don't have to do that now."

Mitsu shrugged and kept working, "Ryousuke-san?"

"Mmm?"

"Would you... I mean... Can I ride with you to the University tomorrow?"

"Would you like to?"

Mitsu hesitated then nodded.

"Okay."

She nodded, "Thank you Ryousuke-san." And she continued to pack.

"There you two are!" Keisuke appeared at the door. He looked at Mitsu's suitcase curiously, "Diner is ready."

Mitsu smiled and Ryousuke nodded and got to his feet. The three of them made their way downstairs. Keisuke continuously glanced at Mitsu. She was so calm. She didn't look like someone that has lost both her parents earlier that day. She wasn't acting like he expected a normal girl to react in her situation.

They entered the kitchen in silence and sat down at the table.

"Help yourselves." Emi exclaimed gesturing towards the food.

"Mitsu?" Emi said softly noticing that the young lady sat staring blankly at the table.

The girl looked up, "I'm sorry Emi-san... I'm just not hungry..."

Emi instinctively became sympathetic, "It's okay dear. Don't apologize." She offered the girl and encouraging smile.

Mitsu returned a weak smile, "Please excuse me... I'm going to finish packing." She said getting to her feet. She bowed slightly and walked out of the room.

Emi and Fujimaro turned from looking at Mitsu to their children. They saw Keisuke's eyes move away from the girl as she disappeared around the corner and turn down to his empty plate. Ryousuke on the other hand was casually serving himself some cold noodles.

"It's normal, Keisuke. She's grieving." Emi informed her younger son, who upon hearing her explanation, seemed less worried and copied his brother by serving himself some food. She turned to her husband and nodded, "I'll go speak with her."

Fujimaro nodded and she got to her feet, excusing herself from the table and left the kitchen.

"Keisuke, you should go to Shirane as scheduled." Ryousuke said casually.

"Aniki?" Keisuke said surprised.

"There are only four days left."

Keisuke nodded simply and hurried to finish his food.

Fujimaro looked at his two sons, "Ryousuke, I'm assuming you will stay behind tonight?" It was more of a statement than a question. He expected his son to stay home in lieu of the days' events.

Ryousuke nodded simply and continued to eat.

Emi re-entered the room, "Well, I've tired to tell Mitsu that there is no rush for her to leave here, but she is being rather insistent about going." She frowned, "I don't think she wants to be reminded of her parents..."

Fujimaro sighed sadly and his wife turned to take his hand in support.

Keisuke watched them. He was lucky to have such a close family.


	6. Chapter 6: Mitsu's Friend

**Chapter 6**

Keisuke pulled into the empty spot beside the white FC and turned off the car's engine. He glanced up at the house. His brother's light was still on. He climbed out and turned to the Project D team vans that were just parking. Takumi stopped behind him and his mechanic stepped out of the car.

"See you tomorrow." The man said with a quick wave.

Takumi nodded. He turned to Keisuke and nodded again.

The young man nodded back and Fujiwara Takumi backed out of the driveway and left for home where he would get a couple hours worth of sleep before he went to make the delivery for his father's shop.

"Goodnight Keisuke-san." Some of them called as they went to their respective cars.

"Hai. See all of you tomorrow." He said and started for the house. He unlocked the door and entered quietly. He took off his shoes with a yawn and headed up the stairs. He stopped at his brother's door and knocked lightly.

"Come in Keisuke."

The young man pushed open the door and strolled inside towards the bed where he sat down and yawned again.

"How did it go?" Ryousuke asked without turning from his laptop.

"Alright. Two members of  Team Overdrive were there with their stopwatches."

Ryousuke nodded. He turned to his brother and looked him over, "Get some sleep Keisuke. You look tired."

The younger Takahashi nodded but he hesitated.

"She'll be fine, Keisuke." Ryousuke assured his brother.

"If you say so Aniki." Keisuke said and got to his feet.

Ryousuke watched as he walked out of his room and closed the door. He turned back to his laptop and clicked on the window he had minimized before Keisuke had entered his room. He stared at the pictures. The Tokyo Phantom...

He wondered curiously what modifications lay hiding under the undefeated white Toyota MR2. The chances that the MR2 was unmodified and undefeated against quite a strong line up of powerful cars were slim to none. He tapped his finger on the desk top as he stared at the racing stats of the small car and it's unknown driver. His hand moved onto the mouse and he moved the cursor over the 'Place a Challenge' link. He mused a while longer. Tokyo... Was Keisuke and Fujiwara ready for such a place? He scanned the MR2's racing statistics again and searched the list of drivers that had raced and had been defeated. He moved the cursor to the 'e-mail' link and clicked it.

After sending a short straightforward e-mail he closed the window and returned to writing his paper.

Several hours later, he shut the textbook he had been looking in and saved his paper and shut off his laptop. He got to his feet and reached towards the ceiling to stretch. He turned to glance at the digital clock on his night table. Almost five am. He frowned, he always seemed to be finishing or getting up around this time. He looked about the room and decided he'd pack his school things and wash up before going down and making some coffee. He wondered if Mitsu-chan ate breakfast in the mornings as he left his room and walked towards the bathroom. He was still wondering what he could make for her when he exited the bathroom and went back to his room to collect his things. He grabbed his bag and his jacket and stepped out of his room.

"Good morning Ryousuke-san."

Ryousuke looked up and saw Mitsu walking towards him, a bundle of clothes in one hand and her cosmetic bag in the other.

"Good morning Mitsu-Chan." He said nodding casually. He looked her over casually. She looked tired. He doubted she had gotten any sleep last night, "Do you eat in the morning?"

Mitsu shook her head, "Not usually." She answered softly, "I'm going to go get ready Ryousuke-san. Please excuse me."

"Hai." He bowed his head slightly and watched as she continued past him and disappeared into the washroom. He frowned and continued on his way downstairs to the kitchen where he started making the coffee. While he waited he went to the front door to retrieve the paper and brought it back into the kitchen. He sat down at the table and pulled it open. He became completely immersed in reading the current events section that he didn't notice that the water was boiling.

Mitsu stepped into the kitchen. She glanced at Ryousuke curiously and moved over to the counter to unplug the kettle, "What are you reading Ryousuke-san?"

The young man lowered his paper at the sound of her voice. He was surprised to see her pouring the hot water into the coffee pot but his face remained impassive.

"Where do you keep the cups?" She asked tuning to look at him. She lowered her gaze after a moment but raised them again when she heard the chair legs rubbing against the tile floor. He pushed back the chair and was moving towards her. Her eyes traveled to the cupboard directly in front of her as he pulled it open and pulled out two mugs. He set them on the table and Mitsu poured them the coffee.

Ryousuke moved to the fridge and pulled out the milk and carried it towards Mitsu. He poured some into one cup then glanced at her.

She nodded so he poured some in he cup as well.

"Sugar?"

"Please."

Ryousuke opened another cupboard and pulled down the small container. He spooned some into her cup and stirred it.

"Thank you."

Ryousuke nodded and moved to put away the milk and sugar. When he turned, Mitsu was already seated at the table. He went to sit down again and sipped his coffee. He looked at the young lady sitting across from him. She was holding the mug between both her hands and was staring sadly down at its contents.

"Did you sleep well Mitsu-chan?" He asked casually and took a sip of his coffee.

"Yes, thank you." She answered softly without looking up.

"You're not very good at lying Mitsu-chan."

Mitsu looked up surprised.

"Couldn't sleep hmm?"

She met his stoic gaze then sighed and nodded. She brought the mug to her lips and sipped it. They were both quiet a moment.

"Mitsu-chan?"

"Hmm?" her eyes remained downcast.

"My condolences for your parents passing."

Mitsu remained silent a moment. Her head lowered even more and her shoulders slumped slightly. She sipped her coffee then raised her eyes to meet Ryousuke, "Thank you Ryousuke-san." She said softly.

Ryousuke simply nodded ad sipped his drink as he looked away. He finished the rest of the hot liquid and only then ventured to look at her, "We should get going."

Mitsu nodded and finished her drink as well.

Ryousuke took her mug from her and placed both in the sink, "Let's go." He said and reached for his coat which was draped over the back of his chair. He slipped into it and picked up his bag.

Mitsu did the same and followed him out of the kitchen to the front entrance where they slipped on their shoes.

Ryousuke led the way out and to his car. He pulled open the door for her.

"Thank you." She said politely and climbed into the famous white FC. She sat quietly as he also entered the car and started the engine. Ryousuke allowed the car to idle a moment before he started down the driveway. They drove in silence for only a few minutes before Mitsu leaned forward and turned on the radio. For almost an hour, only the music filled the silence in the car. Then her cell phone started to ring. It surprised her and she fumbled with her bag trying to find it. She finally got a hold of it and answered, "Hello?" She said curiously. She had been in such a rush she hadn't even bothered to check to see if she recognized the caller's number.

_"Morning cutey." _

Ryousuke saw a genuine smile fill her face, "Satoro!" She exclaimed.

_The man on the phone chuckled, "Gee you miss me?" _

"Of Course I miss you!" Mitsu exclaimed.

_"Well I missed you too... Anyway, guess what?" _

"What? It must be something big for you to be calling so early."

_"I got an e-mail from someone you've heard about all your life." _

"Really? Who?"

_"Can't you guess Mitsu?" He asked amused. _

"I don't see how I could know who... No..." She said the last part quieter.

_"Uh huh! Takahashi Ryousuke sent me and e-mail today asking to know when the Tokyo Phantom would be racing next." _

Mitsu was speechless.

"_Anyway, How's everything going?" _

"I... Everything's... Okay..."

_"Don't lie to me Mitsu." There was a pause, "Something's happened... What's wrong Mitsu?" _

Ryousuke glanced over at the young lady sitting beside him. She had been quiet for quite a long time now. Suddenly his eyes narrowed. Her lower lip was trembling. He signaled and pulled over to the side of the road.

"Mitsu-chan?" He called casually.

She glanced at him with distant eyes.

"Let me speak to him." Ryousuke said.

Her hand and the phone it held lowered to her lap and Ryousuke gently took the phone from her, "I'll be right back." He said and pushed open the door to step out of the car. He closed the door and raised the phone to his ear, "Hello, this is Takahashi Ryousuke, who am I speaking to?" He asked casually.

_"Takahashi Ryousuke???!!?!?" The voice on the other end replied shocked._

"Hai. And you are?"

_"Oh, sorry. Arihyoshi Satoro. How do you know Mitcu-chan?" He asked filled with curiousity._

"I have some bad news." Ryousuke said ignoring the other man's question, Fukotomi Masao and his wife Yoko, were killed in a car accident yesterday morning."

_"WHAT!?!??! Oh God.. No..."_

"It would be good if you could come visit Mitsu-chan."

_"Yes. Is she staying alone?" He asked suddenly, "Wait, what are you doing with her so early in the morning!?!??!" _

"I'm taking her to school. She's living with my family at the moment. Let me give you our address."

_"Hai. Go ahead." _

Ryousuke recited his address.

"I hope you come soon Arihyoshi Satoro. Bye." He said and ended the call without waiting for a reply. He opened the car door and climbed in.

Mitsu turned to him and he passed her the cell phone before strapping on his seat belt.

"Thank you Ryousuke-san..." She said softly.

Ryousuke nodded simply and pulled back onto the road. The drive remained void of conversation until the car was parked and they were both standing outside.

Mitsu glanced at Ryousuke and nodded simply before she started towards one of the main buildings. To her surprise Ryousuke pulled up to her side and followed her to her class.

He made sure she was in safely then rushed to his own class.

During his break, he joined his friends in the cafeteria like he always did. He sat down and pulled out his laptop and started working on his paper again. He needed to get it finished. Suddenly he stopped typing an opened his internet browser to check his e-mail. He opened the new message that appeared:

                       _     Takahashi Ryousuke, _

_                            I would tell you when the Tokyo Phantom races next but unfortunately,_

_                            the driver and the car have both moved out of Tokyo. The driver was_

_                            undecided if there would be anymore races in the future. I will inform you_

_                            if anything changes. _

_                            The contact person for The Tokyo Phantom. _

Ryousuke frowned and deleted the message. Too bad. His interest had been triggered.

He closed the window and was about to return to his paper when she appeared. Like the last time, she was alone. He kept his head turned and slightly lowered towards his laptop as he watched her make her way into the cafeteria. She was walking towards the food counter where she purchased a cup of tea. She then walked towards the doors leading to the outside.

Ryousuke's gaze followed her as she went back to the same tree and sat down. She simply sat there with the cup of tea in between her two hands. She sat staring at it. Ryousuke's eyes narrowed. He turned to his laptop and closed all the programs before closing it.

His classmates all turned to look at him as he packed his things.

"Where are you going Ryousuke?" One of them asked curiously.

"I have something to do." He said simply and got to his feet.

The others watched as he left their table.

"What could he possibly have to do?"

"Strange. Very strange..."

They watched as he walked through the glass doors and outside towards one of the trees. None of them even guessed he'd be heading towards the one sheltering a girl under it's branches.

They all gasped when their classmate stopped in front of the girl a moment. She looked up at him and smiled. Ryousuke then moved to sit down beside her and pull out his laptop.

"He's with a girl!"

"You know, I heard some girls say they saw him take a girl in his car a few days ago. I wonder if that's her."

"I don't think I've ever seen him actually initiate a conversation with a girl."

They all watched in stunned silence.

* * *

It was a little past seven o'clock when Ryousuke turned into the driveway to his home. His eyes landed on the Honda Prelude parked close to his brother's car. He stopped on the other side of the FD and turned off the engine. That's when he turned to look at Mitsu. The young lady had fallen asleep half way during the drive. He didn't want to wake her knowing that she hadn't gotten sleep the night before. He unclipped the seat belts and pulled the key out of the ignition before he turned and climbed out of the car. He grabbed his things and closed the door. He walked to the passenger side and pulled open the door, "Mitsu-chan." He called softly.

Her eyes fluttered open and her normally sparkling blue eyes focused on his.

"We're here." He said casually.

Mitsu nodded and moved to remove the racing seat belts from her body. She grabbed her things and stepped out of the car.

Ryousuke closed the door and turned to look at her. Her eyes were on the Honda. He watched as she made her way towards it. Her eyes widened, "He's here?" She asked turning to Ryousuke who nodded.

Excitement filled her face and she ran up to him and wrapped her arms around him, "Thank you, Ryousuke-san!" She exclaimed overwhelmed.

Ryousuke stood motionless. He waited until she released him then nodded simply and turned away from her to walk to the front door.

His strange reaction wasn't enough to dampen her excitement at seeing her best friend. She followed him to the door and fidgeted nervously as he placed the key in the lock and opened the door. He allowed her to pass first.

Mitsu smiled and rushed into the house. She quickly stepped out of her shoes and entered the house, "Satoro?" She called immediately hearing his voice somewhere in the house.

"We're in here!" Keisuke's voice could be heard.

Mitsu hurried to the recreation room. Her smile widened as her eyes landed on her best friend.

Satoro smiled and got to his feet as Mitsu rushed towards him and wrapped her arms around him, "You're here!" She said holding him as tight as she could.

"Mmm... I'm here..." He said softly as he held her back tightly.

Keisuke watched them curiously, but his gaze left them when his brother came into view, "Aniki."

Ryousuke nodded to his brother and turned to meet Satoro's gaze.

The other man's eyes met those of Ryousuke's. He pulled away from Mitsu-chan and looked down at her to give her another smile then turned to look up at Ryousuke again. Mitsu noticed, "Satoro, meet Takahashi Ryousuke. Ryousuke-san, this is my best friend Arihyoshi Satoro." She introduced still smiling.

The young man stepped towards Ryousuke and stretched out his hand, "Nice to meet you, Ryousuke-san." He said politely.

Ryousuke remained impassive as he shook the other man's hand, "Nice to meet you, Satoro-san."

They watched each other a moment longer. Measuring each other and calculating...

Ryousuke finally turned about. With is back turned towards everyone, he addressed his brother, "Come Keisuke. We have to go." He said casually and walked out of the room.

Keisuke nodded even though his brother couldn't see him, "See you two later!" He started after his brother.

"Wait!" Mitsu called after them.

The brothers froze, but only Keisuke turned to her.

"Are you going to practice?" She asked.

Keisuke nodded, "Hai."

"Satoro-san." Ryousuke said suddenly and glanced back at Mitsu's friend, "You should stay the night if you can. Keisuke can show you to the guest room." He said then continued out of the room before Satoro could answer.

Keisuke turned to Satoro, "So?"

Satoro turned to Mitsu. She was watching Ryousuke as he disappeared around the corner. Only then did she turn to him, "Please stay." She said.

Satoro smiled and turned to Keisuke, "Are you sure it won't be any trouble?"

"It's not a problem." Keisuke said, "Follow me." He led them out of the room and to the upper floor. He led them past Mitsu's, Ryousuke's, his parents room and finally his, "Here you go." He turned to look at the two friends, "Okay, I better go." He said turning away and heading back the way he came.

Ryousuke stepped out of his room and looked at his younger brother, "Keisuke, wait for the team then go to Mount Shirane together. I will meet you there."

Keisuke frowned, "Where are you going Aniki?"

"I'm going to head there now." He answered simply.

"You're going there early?"

He nodded and turned about to head down the stairs.

Keisuke watched his brother with surprised. Mitsu and Satoro caught up to him.

"Is he okay Keisuke-san?" Mitsu asked softly.

"I think so." He turned to them, "Well, see you guys later." He said again and took off down the stairs after his brother.

Satoro turned to look at his best friend. She looked worried, "Come." He said and led her back into the room that he had been given to use. They walked over to the queen size bed and sat down, "So tell me something, how come you're staying with the Takahashi's?"

Mitsu hesitated slightly, "My parents wanted me to live with them. They had it placed in their will." She answered softly.

"Their will?" Satoro repeated surprised. She had already had their will read to her?

"Their Lawyer just addressed this issue. Nothing else. In one week he said." She looked up at him, "Can you come be with me when it happens?"

"I'll try." Satoro said. He took her hand, "Are you okay here?" He asked wanting to ease her into what could turn out to be a painful conversation.

She shrugged, "Takahashi Fujimaro and Emi are really nice. Keisuke is nice too, but... He's still pretty reserved with me."

"What about Takahashi Ryousuke?" He asked hiding the interest he felt in this subject.

"Ryousuke-san... Ryousuke-san is... He's..." She struggled to describe him. His icy stare burned in her memory, "He seems like a really cold person most of the time, but then there are a few times where he seems like he might be a nice guy." She sighed, "He definitely confuses me."

Satoro watched as she was swept in her thoughts. He clearly saw the confusion in her face, but there was something else there too. Admiration, Curiousity, Excitement, Fear, Uncertainty. He couldn't positively confirm what he was seeing. It could have easily been any of, combination of, or all of these, "That doesn't happen very often. You're usually pretty good at reading people."

"Hmm... He's a complicated person..." She said softly.

Satoro continued to study her, "I bet your father was happy when he was finally re-united with his long time friend."

Mitsu nodded solemnly, "He was..." Her lower lip trembled, "They were both so happy..."

Satoro wrapped his arms around her, "It's good that they were happy." He whispered softly as he stroked her back to comfort her.

"I miss them... I miss them so much Satoro!" She said her voice wavering.

"I know..." He replied softly. What else could he say? He just held her closer to him and continued to stroke her back.

* * *

Mount Shirane

Ryousuke slammed the car into third as he heal toed going into the corner. His eyes shifted to his right side at his side view mirror. He allowed the rear of the car to slide towards the curb. There was a jolt as the right rear tire bounced off the curb suddenly losing traction and causing greater oversteer. His eyes shifted back to the road as he counter-steered the white FC. He could practically still feel her warm arms wrapped about his body. He disengaged the clutch and roughly slammed the stick shift into forth as he accelerated out of the corner. Satoro. His foot pressed harder on the accelerator. She was very close to him. He disengaged the clutch, pressed on the gas and brake simultaneously wit his right foot and down geared as he started his entrance into the next corner. A flicker caught his attention on the far left side of his eyes. Two corners away several vehicles' headlights were heading his way. He moved into his side of the road as he exited the corner and shifted into a higher gear. As expected it was Project D heading his way. The yellow FD leading the way blinked it's high beans at him twice. His face remained impassive and he pressed harder on the accelerator. He wanted to reach the bottom of Shirane before heading back to the top. He needed to drive a little while longer...

The Project D team reached the summit and parked. Takumi got out of his car and walked over to Keisuke who was staring at the road from which they had just come from.

Both stared at the road, awaiting Takahashi Ryousuke's return.

The moment Takumi had seen Ryousuke-san's white FC flashed in his mind. He had felt a shock when the car had passed them. The small hairs on his arms and on the back of his neck were all standing on end. The raging sound of the FC's motor and exhaust roared in his memory. Something was on Takahashi Ryousuke's mind...

He shoved both his hands in his jean pockets and turned away to walk back to his car. He recalled the events that happened on the day that he had blown his engine. He stopped in front of his car and stared down at it. Was that how Ryousuke-san was feeling today? Takumi was brought out of his thoughts when the distinct sound of the white FC could be heard. He turned and watched as the car casually came over the ridge and approached them. It stopped beside one of the support vans and was turned off. Takumi watched as Ryousuke-san stepped out of the car and glanced at his brother then at Takumi.

"Let's get started." He said. He turned back to his car and reached into it to retrieve his laptop.

Takumi walked towards them.

"They were timing you Aniki." Keisuke overheard the younger Takahashi brother say.

Takumi took a side glance to where Mount Shirane's main team Overdrive stood discussing the time recorded on their stop watches. They looked like someone had dropped a beehive in their midst. The delight he felt in that thought surprised him. He had never felt this way before. When had he started feeling proud to be associated with Takahashi Ryousuke and his hand picked racing team? He had never really thought of Project D this way. It had always been a means to an end. To become better. To become faster. To reach the top of the racing world. He frowned. He was acting strange again...

Ryousuke simply nodded and turned to them, "First round. 80 only. Find your rhythm. Second round, your time for both the down hill and uphill can not be more than yesterday's best time. From both of your average rate of improvement, both of you are expected to better your times by at least fifteen seconds in the next hour and a half. Understood?"

They both stared at him in shock. Fifteen Seconds off their best time? That was a lot. But if Takahashi Ryousuke said they could do it, then they better do it. Keisuke and Takumi nodded obediently.

"Good. Go." He said sternly.

"Hai." The two younger racers both rushed back to their cars and started down the mountain.

Only then did Fumihiro approach the young leader, "Hey Ryousuke."

The young man acknowledged him with a nod.

"Were you collecting some data just now?" Fumihiro asked curiously.

"No." Was his simple reply.

Fumihiro glanced at him curiously. Why had he been driving on Shirane then?

"We have company." Ryousuke said casually without moving his eyes away from where he was staring.

Fumihiro on the other had looked at his surroundings to see Team Overdrive approaching them.

"Takahashi Ryousuke? Leader of Project D?" A man asked looking over them.

Ryousuke nodded simply.

"I'm Anzai Gyokusho, leader of Team Overdrive."

Ryousuke nodded simply again.

Gyokusho frowned, "As we discussed by e-mail, you will be leaving by eleven o'clock?"

Ryousuke nodded again and glanced at Fumihiro who nodded and turned to their opponents.

"Thank you for allowing us to practice tonight. We'll be gone by eleven, tonight and tomorrow. We won't be coming Friday, since it was decided that the team would rest instead. But thank you, we are looking forward to the race on Saturday." Fumihiro said smiling politely.

Anzai Gyokusho nodded, "Yes, well see you all on Saturday." He turned to look at Project D's leader. The man was staring off in the distance. He frowned and turned to his team, "Let's go."

Fumihiro watched them leave.

"That Takahashi Ryousuke didn't even give Gyokusho-san the time of day!" One of the men declared.

"What an overconfident prick. He probably doesn't think we're worth his time." Another added.

Fumiriho frowned as he overheard their comments. He turned to Ryousuke who was still staring off in the distance. He sighed. Ryousuke-san always seemed to attract those kinds of comments from his opponents. They simply didn't understand him.

Ryousuke turned to his long time friend, "Is something wrong Fumihiro?"

"No, Ryousuke-san."

"Good." Came the simple reply.

At 10:28pm, Project D was preparing to leave Mount Shirane. Both of its driver's ad barely improved yesterday's best time by fifteen seconds. They were mentally exhausted now.

Ryousuke carefully observed the movements of the two drivers.

"Matsumoto, please bring two bottles of water for Keisuke and Takumi."

"Hai!" The mechanic said and went to get the water. He brought them back for the two young men that thanked him.

Ryousuke walked towards them, "You both did well." He said with a nod.

Keisuke and Takumi both nodded.

Ryousuke turned to look behind him, "Fumihiro, once they've finished, all of you head home. I will send everyone an e-mail tomorrow with details for Saturday. That's all."

"Hai, Ryousuke!"

Ryousuke turned to his younger brother and Takumi, "Both of you, get some rest." He said and turned to leave.

"Aniki!" Keisuke called suddenly.

Ryousuke stopped in his tracks and glanced over his shoulder, "What is it Keisuke?"

"Where are you going?"

"Akagi." He answered simply Then he added, "Go home Keisuke." Knowing his brother was going to ask if he could come, "You need to rest."

Keisuke was taken aback. He watched in silence as his brother walked to his car, climbed it and took off.

"Hmm..." Takumi said unconsciously as he watched Takahashi Ryousuke leave.

Keisuke turned to him and frowned, "What?"

Takumi shrugged, "He's acting strange."

Keisuke sighed, "He is." He agreed reluctantly.

"He's driving differently too." Takumi ventured to add.

Keisuke simply nodded, "I'm going home." He said and turned to leave.

"Keisuke-san?"

The younger Takahashi stopped in his tracks. He turned to look at his teammate.

Takumi hesitated. He met Keisuke's gaze. He was starting to become impatient, "See you Saturday, Keisuke-san."

The young Takahashi nodded and went to his car.

Takumi went to his and Matsumoto joined him.

"Everything okay?" He asked as they got into the car.

Takumi nodded and he followed Keisuke and Fumihiro down Mount Shirane. The three support units following closely behind them.

* * *

Mitsu quietly crawled out of her bed and walked over to the window. He still had not returned home. She turned to look at the clock. It was almost four in the morning... She frowned. Where was he?

* * *

Takahashi Ryousuke reached the parking lot of Mount Akina and stopped the car facing the large lake. He stared out blankly. Several runs on Akagi hadn't helped him clear his mind. His thoughts seemed to have gotten stuck in the gutter. Gutters like the one that had caused him to lose a race on this particular mountain.

A light knock on his window brought his focus back to the present. He turned to see Fujiwara Takumi looking at him. He lowered his window, "Fujiwara."

"Ryousuke senpai. What are you doing here?" He asked surprised.

"Nothing." He answered simply. He looked past Takumi at the Hachiroku, "Finished your deliveries?"

Takumi nodded, "Hai."

Ryousuke nodded, "You should go home and get some rest."

Takumi nodded but didn't move. He continued to study Takahashi Ryousuke.

"Is there something you want to tell me Fujiwara?" He asked casually.

Takumi took a step back blushing a little. He was always surprised how Ryousuke-san seemed to be able to read his thoughts or know how he was feeling.

Ryousuke chuckled lightly, "Fujiwara Takumi, you know very well that sometimes people just have the need to drive." He met the teenager's gaze, "For whatever reason."

Takumi was stunned. How did he know? How come he always knows?

Ryousuke nodded and turned to check the time, "It's time to go." He declared and turned to Takumi again, "Go home. Don't you have to work in a few hours?"

Takumi nodded, "Hai." He took a step back, "See you Saturday Ryousuke-san."

Ryousuke nodded and Takumi turned to head back to his car. The latter closed his window and pulled out of the parking lot. He waited for Takumi to head down Akina first then followed him at a respectable distance. He was in no rush to get home tonight. Or should he say today?

* * *

Hope people are still enjoying the story! Reviews are always welcome! 

Cheers!


	7. Chapter 7: When the Smoke Clears

**Chapter 7**

Mitsu rolled over and turned off her alarm sleepily. Staring up at the ceiling, she felt very alone. She was lying in an unfamiliar bed with unfamiliar sheets in an unfamiliar room, in an unfamiliar house and it's unfamiliar residents. All of which she would have to become accustomed to. This was going to be her new life. She turned onto her side and stared at the furniture in the room. There was a handsome mahogany desk on the far side of the room, accompanied by a dresser and armoire of the same colour. The walls were painted a pale yellow, which you couldn't notice when the room was cast in darkness as it was now. Nothing else adorned the room. Takahashi Emi had told her that this was her room and that she was free to do as she pleased with it. It was a mature looking room and at the moment she felt anything but mature. She wanted her parents back. She wanted to be ten years old again when she could run into her parents' room and jump into their bed in the mornings and snuggle between them. She missed their smell. She missed them. Her eyes closed as she tried desperately to block out the pain that threatened to take over her senses. Taking several calming breaths, she forced herself to focus on her objectives: School. That's what her parents had wanted. That's what she was going to achieve. She would get her medical degree and follow in their footsteps. She would make them proud. No matter what. Having found her drive, she pushed herself out of bed and went to the window. He still hadn't come back. Frowning she moved back into the room to get her things ready. She collected a change of clothes and made her way to the washroom. Several minutes later she emerged feeling refreshed. Looking down the hall, she decided to visit her friend. At his door she knocked lightly then pushed it open. He was still asleep. A grin came to her lips as he tiptoed into the room and to his bed. She carefully grabbed the corner of his blanket.

"WAKE UP!" She yelled loudly as she yanked the comforter off his body.

Satoro bolted upright in shock. His eyes still half closed and doused in sleep. He looked around confused.

Mitsu started laughing.

The young man's eyes slowly focused on her and he frowned, "That was not funny Fukotomi Mitsu! I could have been naked you know!"

"I didn't know you ever slept naked." Her eyes sparkled.

"Like I would tell you something like that!" He replied. She looked happy this morning. He was glad but it also concerned him. Why didn't she seem more affected by her parent's death? Was she trying to ignore it? He wouldn't put it past her to do something like that. Mitsu had always thought herself a very tough person. Not that she wasn't, but sometimes she really didn't seem to know her limits. It seemed like one of those times right now, "So what am I going to do while you're away getting educated?"

Mitsu shrugged, "You could get to know Keisuke?" She suggested, "Maybe he can teach you a few things?"

Satoro frowned, "Like what? Humiliation?"

Mitsu frowned, "I thought you were used to losing."

"Funny!"

Mitsu only smiled.

Then, both turned to his bedroom door. Both heard the footsteps rushing up the stairs. They glanced at each other then Mitsu headed for the door and Satoro climbed out of bed to put some clothes on.

In the hallway, Mitsu saw Keisuke moving into his brother's bedroom doorway. She went to him and also looked in.

"There you are!" Keisuke said.

Ryousuke nodded simply as he organized his school bag. He glanced back as he finished and saw her in the doorway behind his brother, "Are you ready?"

"Almost. I just have to grab my things." She answered softly.

Ryousuke nodded again, "I'll be outside." He said and walked out of his room, passed them and downstairs.

Keisuke watched him go. He was worried.

"He didn't just get back did he?" Satoro asked curiously as he stepped out of his room.

Mitsu nodded, "I should hurry." She was about to leave when she turned to Keisuke, "Keisuke-san, is it okay for Satoro to stay with you today?"

He nodded simply. His brother's strange behavior lately still foremost in his mind.

"Thank you." She said then went to her room.

Satoro joined her, "Is everything okay?"

She frowned, "I hope so... But I better go. Walk me out?"

He nodded and followed her out of the house. They walked to the idling white RX7 and its driver who currently had his back turned to them.

He turned when he heard their footsteps approaching.

Mitsu's pupils narrowed and she watched as he turned his back to them again and brought the cigarette he held between his fingers back to his lips. She walked straight up to him, leaving Satoro somewhere behind her. She stopped directly in front of him and stared up into his face, "Give me that." She said as she quickly and nimbly reached up towards him.

Ryousuke surprised her by grabbing her wrist, "Mind your own business Fukotomi Mitsu." He said sternly, his gaze hard and menacing.

Mitsu glared back up at him and ripped the cigarette from his lips with her free hand. She then pulled her trapped arm away from his stunned grasp and proceeded to toss the cigarette to the ground and stomp on it, "Let's go."

Ryousuke watched as she then walked away. She had some nerve. That was the third time now! He fumed inwardly. He briefly glanced at Satoro who was watching them intently, then turned to pull open the car door, "Look over the video again Keisuke." He said casually as he climbed into the car.

Satoro turned to look behind him. Had Keisuke followed them out? No one was there. He looked about confused but then he saw him. Standing against the balcony railings, Takahashi Keisuke was also watching his older brother, frowning. Both watched as the white FC drove down the driveway and onto the main road.

"Satoro-san, are you hungry?"

Mitsu's friend looked up, "I could eat something." He answered and saw Keisuke smile at his answer.

* * *

Ryousuke pulled in front of the house. 

Mitsu glanced at him curiously, "Aren't you coming in?"

He shook his head and looked ahead of him. Waiting for her to leave.

Mitsu frowned. He was acting differently today. During his break, she had seen him go to the library where he had almost fallen asleep doing research. He was tired. And no wonder, after staying out all night. She had casually suggested that she could drive if he was tired when they had met after school. He almost looked disgusted at the thought. But there was something else too. She had surprised him with the suggestion. She looked at him now and could tell that he was still tired. She sighed.

Ryousuke glanced at her when she sighed, expecting her to open the door and leave. Instead, she was leaning towards him.

Mitsu saw his eyes twitch slightly as he stared at her. He remained his ground and quietly watched her as she inched closer. A strong energy seemed to be emanating from his body. She ignored it and reached out in front of him, her eyes locked challengingly onto his. Then she felt it. The car keys between her fingertips. The soft rattle of the metal seemed to snap him into action as he moved to stop her. But he was too late. Mitsu had already turned off the car and was straightening in her seat. She grabbed the door handle and climbed out of the car.

"Fukotomi Mitsu. Give me the keys." Ryousuke said as he also got out of the car.

Mitsu shut her door and looked at him. Oh he was definitely mad now, "No." She said and walked towards the door.

He watched her a moment then reached in the car to grab his school bag. He carried them to the door, which Mitsu had already unlocked. She took off her shoes and was just about to head further into the house when he grabbed her arm.

"Give me my keys." His voice was hard.

She met his gaze, "No. You haven't slept in over twenty-four hours. You're tired. You're not driving anymore today."

"That is not for you to decide." Ryousuke said stoically.

He may have sounded calm, but she could feel the anger burning inside of him.

"Aniki! Mitsu!" Keisuke's voice called suddenly as he rushed into the lobby followed closely by Satoro. Both had smiles on their faces but they disappeared once they saw Ryousuke and Mitsu.

"Right now it is." She said to him then she turned to the two that had just arrived, "Hello Keisuke, Satoro. Did you two have a nice day?"

"Uh, yeah." Keisuke answered unsurely as he watched his brother carefully. Satoro simply nodded and gave Mitsu a questioning gaze.

"Mitsu-Chan, give me the keys." He said again.

Mitsu turned to him. She had hoped Keisuke's and Satoro's presence would have diverted him from making a scene. She had guessed wrong, "And I said No."

"What's going on? Aniki?" Keisuke asked looking from Mitsu to his older brother.

Ryousuke only had eyes for Mitsu. He kept on glaring at her as though if he continued he could get her to do as he wished.

"I have Ryousuke-san's car keys and I'm not going to give them to him while he's still tired."

"But the Redsuns are going to be waiting for him!" Keisuke exclaimed shocked.

"Too bad. They'll have to practice without him. He needs to get some rest."

Keisuke listened stunned. He glanced at his brother unsure what he would do.

"You need to learn your place Fukotomi Mitsu."

Satoro's eyes narrowed. But a quick look from Mitsu prevented him from saying a word.

Mitsu turned to Ryousuke, "You may not care about your safety Ryousuke-san, but I do. So until you get some rest, I'm not giving you your keys." She saw something flicker in his eyes. She frowned. It wasn't what she thought. Was it?

Ryousuke moved suddenly.

"Aniki?" Keisuke called unsurely as he watched his brother set his school bag beside the door before he pulled the former open and stepped outside. The door shut softly behind him.

"Mitsu what is going on?" Satoro asked curiously.

"I'll tell you later." She pocketed Ryousuke's keys and set her bags beside his before also stepping outside.

Satoro and Keisuke exchanged looks.

"Follow me." The younger one said as he led Satoro to the living room. They climbed on to the couch and Keisuke pulled aside part of the curtain slightly.

Satoro smiled, "I like the way you think." He said as his eyes focused on Mitsu and Takahashi Ryousuke.

* * *

As she expected, Ryousuke-san was pulling out a cigarette. He replaced the Pack in his back pocket and proceeded to light the cigarette between his lips. She frowned and went to stand in front of him. He watched her as he pulled the cigarette from his lips. Three times was enough. He wasn't going to put up with her behaviour anymore. He watched her carefully as she stepped up to him and reached for his cigarette. He moved his hand away, "What part of 'mind your own business' do you not understand Mitsu-Chan?" He asked coldly. 

"What part of 'smoking is bad for you' do you not understand Ryousuke-san?" Mitsu tossed back casually. She stepped right up to him.

Close. She was very close. He could feel her body heat touching him. He matched her steady gaze. He saw her move but he couldn't seem to focus on anything but her eyes and the warmth coming from her. Then he felt it. Her touch. Her hand had made its way behind him and was reaching into his back pocket. His lips parted slightly as her fingers touched him. Then before he knew it she had stepped back with his pack of cigarettes.

She didn't smile. She didn't frown. She simply opened the pack of cigarettes and started breaking them in half, then she stuffed them back in the box. She looked up at him then. He was stunned. That was clear.

Ryousuke could hear his heart in his ears. Control. He had to regain control over himself. He brought the lit cigarette to his lips.

Mitsu stepped towards him again and she saw him freeze. She took the opportunity to grab the cigarette from him.

Ryousuke had somehow managed to regain some of his senses just in time to try and move the cigarette out of her reach, but failed. He watched annoyed as she again got a hold of his cigarette. She fumbled with it and immediately dropped it to the ground, stomping on it as she shook her hand. He frowned. Without thinking he had grabbed a hold of her hand.

Mitsu froze and turned to look at him. He looked angry and she suddenly felt a little scared. What was he going to do with her? She took a sharp intake of breath as he gently pried her hand open. His thumb gently stroked her palm and he raised her hand closer to his face. He blew gently on the small round red burn mark on the inside of her hand. Her lips parted and she shivered.

"Serves you right for meddling with other people's business." He said releasing her hand and staring down at her. She was watching him in a daze. He watched as she came to her senses after hearing his words.

"You shouldn't smoke. I don't like it when you smoke." She said as casually as she could. She was surprised by the calmness in her voice. A calmness she didn't feel at all right now. She matched his gaze a moment longer then stepped past him and went inside the house. She took off her shoes and went to the kitchen to toss the pack of cigarettes in the garbage. Walking back into the lobby so that she could pick up her school bag she glanced into the living room, "Stop pretending. I know you two were watching. Satoro don't teach him these things."

"What! It was his idea!" Satoro objected.

"But you're his senior." Mitsu said and started up the stairs.

Satoro turned to Keisuke, "She sure knows how to make a person feel guilty."

Keisuke smiled and turned to look out the window again. His brother was looking at his car still parked right in front of the main doors to the house. He was frowning.

"He's coming back!" Satoro said as he turned to sit properly on the couch. Keisuke scrambled to do the same.

They watched as Ryousuke entered the house and picked up his school bags before heading upstairs as well.

Satoro and Keisuke watched quietly.

"Have they always acted like this around each other?"

Keisuke shrugged. He turned to Satoro. Fukotomi Mitsu's best friend. If Mitsu was a threat, then was Satoro a threat as well? He sure didn't feel like a threat.

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing." Keisuke answered and looked away, "Want to play some pool?"

"Did you look over the video Keisuke?" A stern voice called out to him.

The young Takahashi looked towards the lobby to see his brother heading for the door.

"Hai." He answered getting to his feet to see what his brother was doing. Ryousuke was slipping on his shoes, "Where are you going?"

"Akagi."

"But your keys?"

"I'm taking one of the vans." He said and pulled open the door, "Look over the video again."

Keisuke nodded simply and watched as his brother left the house again, "Well, do you want to play?"

"Sure." Satoro replied having witnessed the exchange between the siblings. He followed Keisuke to the rec room, "You guys take racing seriously."

"Of course." He answered as though what Satoro said was the strangest thing he had ever heard.

"Keisuke-san!" Mitsu rushed into the room.

The two young men looked up at her.

"Did your brother just leave?"

Keisuke nodded.

Mitsu growled and stormed out of the room again.

"So... Let's play!" Satoro said turning to Keisuke who laughed.

Satoro was about to break the balls when Mitsu came rushing back into the room, "Satoro would you mind taking me home?"

"Home? Why?" He asked turning to her curiously.

"I want my car." She said and left the room again

"She's mad now." Satoro declared glancing at Keisuke, "Do you want to see something interesting?"

Keisuke grinned when he saw amusement on Satoro's face, "Okay."

"Let me get my car keys." He said and left the room.

Keisuke joined Mitsu and Satoro in the lobby within minutes.

"Let's go!" She exclaimed pulling open the door and rushing out.

They went to Satoro's prelude and climbed in.

"Can we hurry? I want to give Ryousuke-san a piece of my mind and come back to do my homework."

"Yes boss." Satoro teased as he pulled out of the driveway.

Mitsu sat in the back seat staring out the window. Takahashi Ryousuke was so stubborn. She sighed inwardly and looked in front at Keisuke and Satoro. They were chatting easily together. She smiled. Satoro had always had a way of making people feel at ease with him. And Keisuke seemed to have really befriended him.

"Okay we're here."

"Finally!" Mitsu exclaimed as the car came to a stop. Keisuke climbed out of the car to let Mitsu out, "I'll follow you guys. Keisuke-san you can give Satoro directions right?"

Keisuke nodded and watched as the girl rushed to the garage and opened the door. He frowned, "That's what you drive?"

"Yes." Mitsu answered and went to the car.

Keisuke climbed back into the Prelude.

"You seem surprised." Satoro said smiling.

"Well yeah." Keisuke replied putting on his seatbelt, "I thought she would have had a nicer car."

Satoro chuckled, "Nothing flashy. Mitsu likes to keep things low key. She doesn't really like to attract attention to herself."

"Doesn't she attract a lot of attention driving something like that though?"

"Maybe if she hung around people of the same social class as her parents and you guys, but Mitsu tends to stay away from that class for some reason. No offence or anything. But she usually finds them too boring."

Keisuke frowned, "She's right."

Satoro looked over at him and smiled, "What about your brother?"

"Ryousuke?" Keisuke repeated surprised, "I don't know. Sometimes he looks like he belongs with all those boring people, but I can't imagine him not being part of the racing world either."

"I think it's safe to say that he proved its possible to be a part of both worlds."

Keisuke nodded and the two young men watched the white MR2 pull out of the driveway.

Keisuke frowned as he watched it.

Satoro laughed, "You are in for a big surprise!" He said as he started for the main road again.

Keisuke just frowned.

* * *

Author's note: 

I know It's just an MR2.... But Great things often come from the most unusual packages though... Just look at Fujiwara Takumi!

Anyway, cheers!

CelicaChick


	8. Chapter 8: The Tokyo Phantom

**Chapter 8**

Satoro pulled up beside the white Project D van and parked the car. He glanced to his side to see Mitsu do the same, "The fun begins."

Keisuke frowned and jumped out of the car and immediately went to his brother who was standing by the guardrails looking down the mountain, "Aniki!"

"Hmm." He didn't bother turning to his brother or the two other people that were following closely behind him.

"You are a stubborn fool Takahashi Ryousuke!" Mitsu declared sternly.

Satoro watched amazed as he continued to ignore her presence. His eyes turned onto his best friend to see what she would do next.

The girl walked up to Takahashi Ryousuke, "Here. I came to give you back your keys." She said staring directly in his eyes.

Ryousuke finally turned to look at her, "So, the Tokyo Phantom makes her appearance on Akagi." He said casually as he took his keys from her and stuck them in his pocket.

Mitsu's eyes widened slightly. He knew, "How?" Was all she could manage to say.

Ryousuke frowned and looked down the mountain. She underestimated his knowledge of cars, "You drive a snow white MR2, one that you were very reluctant to tell me about not to mention let me see."

"So? There are a lot of white MR2's."

"And how many of those snow white MR2's have a 2L engine that is likely bored out to 2.1L with a low compression ratio, upgraded with an HKS stage II turbo with a low, maybe, 15 p.s.i. boost, and revs at approximately 9 RPMs?"

Satoro's lower jaw dropped in awe as Mitsu gasped in shock. How in the world had he known all that? Besides the obvious black and gray Bride bucket seats, physically her car looked ordinary. It still had its stock rims and stock body kit. Nothing fancy. Just the way she liked it. So how did he know? None of the modifications done to her car had ever been posted on the website. Where had he gotten all his information?

Satoro continued to stare in awe.

"The Tokyo Phantom?" Keisuke said suddenly. He turned to his brother, "Aniki?"

Ryousuke turned to his brother, "The Tokyo Phantom, is a snow white MR2 driven by an unknown driver who has yet to be defeated. The only way to challenge it is by going on the internet and sending an online challenge."

Keisuke turned to look back at the white MR2 then at Fukotomi Mitsu, "You're the Tokyo Phantom?"

Mitsu continued to glare at Ryousuke.

The man stared blankly back at her. Then he turned to Satoro, "And you're the Tokyo Phantom's contact person."

Satoro couldn't do anything but nod. He was still too shocked.

Ryousuke turned to Mitsu again, "I was told you may be retiring."

Mitsu frowned, "I have one last challenge." She said meeting his eyes. Then she turned and calmly walked away.

Satoro turned to watch her a moment as she went to her car, "I believe you've just received a challenge Takahashi Ryousuke." He glanced at the other man. He had already turned back to stare down the mountain at the practicing Redsuns. It was unclear if he had heard the statement or not. He turned when he heard the engine of the Snow white MR2 come to life.

Keisuke turned also. Fukotomi Mitsu was a racer? He glanced at his brother. Nothing. Another car appeared. It was Kenta. Great...

"Keisuke-san! You're here!" The youth called with excitement.

"Hai." He replied simply and shoved his hands in his pant pockets.

"Kenta. Don't waste time." Ryousuke called over his shoulder.

"Hai Ryousuke-san!" The youth replied and rolled up his window before taking off.

"Keisuke, here comes the interesting part." Satoro said nodding towards the white MR2 which was still idling in the parking lot as Kenta's S14 took off down the mountain again.

"Hmm?"

Satoro smiled and continued to watch the MR2. He stole a quick look at Ryousuke. The man was still looking down the mountain. Mitsu must be feeling really irritated by now. He turned back to the MR2 as it suddenly burst forth and shot down the mountain after the orange Nissan. He walked to the guardrail with Keisuke and they watched as the Snow white MR2 tackled the mountain pass.

"She passed him!" Keisuke voiced amazed, "That was fast."

"She's not finished yet." Satoro said as her speed seemed to increase and she was catching up to the other Redsuns members. He looked at Takahashi Ryousuke from the corner of his eyes but saw nothing on the man's face. He looked on like a statue. Interesting.

The three men watched as she continued down Akagi, passing anyone who got in her way to the bottom. All the Redsuns members returned to the peak in stunned silence. Ryousuke turned to Satoro, "She's waiting for you at the bottom. You should go." He then turned to Keisuke, "Go and rest Keisuke." He said simply and went to join the Redsuns.

Satoro frowned and turned to Keisuke who looked back at him.

"We should go."

Satoro shrugged, "Okay." They walked back to Satoro's prelude and started down the mountain. And just as Ryousuke had said Mitsu was pulled over on the side of the road waiting for them, "Okay those two are scary sometimes."

"Huh?" Keisuke looked at him confused.

Satoro motioned for Mitsu to follow them. She nodded and Satoro pulled ahead.

"The way they seem to know things. Like noticing things that others don't. That kind of thing. Both Mitsu and your brother do it. It's scary sometimes."

"Oh! Yeah! I agree!" Keisuke said nodding wholeheartedly.

"Hey, how did your brother know all that stuff about Mitsu's car?"

Keisuke turned to him and laughed, "You were pretty shocked huh?"

"Yeah, kind of."

Keisuke smiled, "My brother can tell a lot about a car by the way it drives and sounds."

"Really?" He said amazed, "So all the things people say about him are true..." He added mainly to himself.

Keisuke took a side glanced at him. He was used to people's amazement of his brother. It happened everywhere. He didn't mind. His brother was the best racer around, that's why all those professional teams wanted him.

They drove back to the Takahashi residence talking about Mitsu's past races. When they finally reached Keisuke's home they parked the cars and went inside. His parents were home and were somewhere in the house.

"I'm going to study." Mitsu said softly as she slipped off her shoes and immediately headed upstairs.

"Is she okay?"

Satoro sighed, "I hope so. I've learned that it's best to leave her alone when she's like this."

"Well then, how about finishing that game of billiards?"

"You're on!" Satoro said smiling as he followed Keisuke.

"Keisuke?" A woman's voice called out.

Keisuke stopped and turned to see his mother appear from the kitchen.

"Hi mom. This is Arihyoshi Satoro, Mitsu-Chan's friend from Tokyo. He came to visit her." He turned to Satoro, "This is my mother Takahashi Emi."

"Nice to meet you." Satoro said bowing his head politely.

"It's nice to meet one of Mitsu-Chan's friends. Maybe you can cheer her up!"

"Mmm... I hope so too."

Emi smiled and turned to her son, "Where's your brother? Why did he leave his car in front of the door?" She was frowning with disapproval.

"Well actually, it wasn't his fault really. Mitsu-Chan took his car keys."

"Pardon?" Emi said confused. Had she heard right?

Keisuke shifted on his feet uncomfortably, "Mitsu-Chan took his keys. She said that he was too tired and that he shouldn't drive. So she took his keys. But he took one of the vans and left anyway."

"I see... And what about the pack of cigarettes in the trash can in the kitchen?"

He continued to look uncomfortable, "Those are Ryousuke's. Mitsu-Chan took them from him again."

"Again?" Emi looked at her son and Satoro in surprise.

Both nodded.

"She seems to have developed a habit of taking his cigarettes from him." Satoro informed her smiling.

"Interesting..." Emi said a smile creeping onto her face.

Keisuke looked at them frowning, "I don't think Ryousuke finds it all that funny."

"I'm sure he doesn't sweetie." Emi said giving him a smile, "So where is your brother anyway?"

"Akagi."

"I see. Well anyway, I will have dinner ready soon, okay? Hopefully, you haven't eaten yet?"

Keisuke and Satoro both shook their heads.

"Good. I'll call you when dinner is ready." She watched as the two young men left to go to the rec. room. A smile came to her lips. Fukotomi Mitsu was standing up to her eldest son. She wondered how he had reacted and wished she had been there to witness the event. Interesting. Very interesting. She went back to the kitchen to find her husband and relate to him what she had found out. Things might not turn out so badly after all!

* * *

Ryousuke quietly entered the dark house and slipped off his shoes before making his way up the stairs. He stopped in front of Mitsu's bedroom door. Her lights were off. The lights were off all over the house. Everything was quiet. He turned and stared at the door a moment. Then he raised his hand and knocked lightly on it. Nothing. He waited a moment longer than knocked again. She was awake. He was sure of it. Still there was no answer. He frowned. She was awake! He grabbed the door know and turned it softly as he pushed open the door slightly. There was no movement in the room. Had he been wrong? Was she really asleep? His eyes narrowed as they adjusted to the darkness of the room. He could see the uneven rise and fall of the blankets from her breathing. She was awake, "I'm coming it Mitsu-Chan." He said simply and entered the room. He closed the door softly behind him and carefully made his way to her bed. He hesitated when he reached it then finally sat down on the edge, "I know you're awake Mitsu-Chan..."

Silence.

"Your parents didn't approve of racing did they?" He said casually, "That's why you were keeping your identity a secret. That's why you perceived me as a threat. You were worried I would figure out you were the Tokyo Phantom, and that your parents would find out." He felt the mattress tremble.

"You had nothing to lose in allowing me to see your car today."

"You should get some sleep..." Her voice was wavering.

Ryousuke frowned and without thinking he placed a hand out to touch her. She was trembling, "Mitsu-Chan..." He said softly and he heard her sniffle. She was crying! He moved closer to her, "Shh..." He soothed as he stroked her shoulder.

"Ryousuke-san!" She said as she bolted upright and threw herself onto him, wrapping her arms around him. Before he could even register what was happening his arms had instinctively snaked around her shoulders and he held her securely against him.

"Shh... I'm here..." He whispered as she sobbed uncontrollably on his shoulder. He was torn. He had no idea what to do, what was happening to him? He stroked her back gently. He ached. The soft painful sounds coming from her felt like someone was stabbing him with a knife. Repeatedly. But he kept his arms around her, holding her, whispering softly to her, until finally she started to calm down. Only when Ryousuke noticed her breathing had calmed did he gently lower down to the bed and settled her head on the soft, silk adorned pillow.

She mumbled something incoherent and Ryousuke saw her frowning, "Shh... Sleep Mitsu..." He said and stroked her hair. Her hair... So soft... He pulled his hand back and stared at her. Dangerous. This was dangerous. And all too painfully familiar... He carefully got to his feet. With a last fleeting look her way, he turned about and left her room to go to his own. He had to stop getting into these situations with her. She was seriously messing up his concentration.

* * *

The next morning, Mitsu awoke feeling refreshed. She hadn't slept so good since... She turned onto her side and glanced at the clock. It was still early. She stretched out on the bed and stared up at the ceiling. Ryousuke... She vaguely remembered being in his arms last night. She frowned. How did she keep ending up finding comfort in his arms? She hardly knew him. If she had to say she was close to any of the Takahashis, it would probably have to be Keisuke. But, even with Keisuke, she wasn't yet completely comfortable. It would make more sense that she would find comfort in him instead of his cold and indifferent brother. Confusion filled her face as she recalled his soft soothing voice filling her mind. Had it really been Takahashi Ryousuke who was comforting her last night? This was all too confusing. That cold-hearted man couldn't have been soothing! She probably had imagined it. In such a need of comfort last night, any attention would have probably sounded soothing at that moment. She nodded. That explained it. Satisfied, she crawled out of bed and prepared herself to greet the day.

She made her way to the room Satoro was staying in and found it empty. Keisuke's door was still closed. He was probably still sleeping. She smiled and headed downstairs. She walked into the kitchen to find Emi, Fujimaro and Satoro sitting together at the table drinking tea and chatting comfortably.

"Mitsu! Come in. Did you sleep well?" Emi asked getting to her feet to retrieve a cup of tea for her.

"Yes, thank you." She said taking a seat at the table. She stole a quick glance at Satoro who simply gave her a smile. What was he up to now?

"So do you two have any plans today?" Fujimaro asked curiously.

Mitsu looked over at Satoro, "I don't think so. Do we?"

Satoro shrugged, 'I wouldn't mind doing some sightseeing."

"That's a good idea. It's a beautiful day outside." Emi exclaimed. She finished her tea and glanced at her watch, "We should get going Dear." Fujimaro nodded and finished his tea.

"Have a good day you two." He said and followed his wife out of the kitchen.

"Bye." Both Satoro and Mitsu said at the same time.

"You're up early."

Satoro nodded, "I know." He rolled his eyes, "I'm going to head home tomorrow morning okay?"

Mitsu nodded simply.

"Come on! Don't look like that! I'll be back to visit you!" He nudged her, "And you better let me know when you're going to race him. I want to be there when you do!"

Mitsu simply nodded again. She sighed, "Satoro?"

"What?"

"After the race, will you help me to sell the MR2? I want to get something else."

"Sell the MR2?!?!?! Why? What do you want to get?" He asked surprised.

"I don't know. I... I just don't want this car anymore..."

"Mitsu..."

"No. Satoro, I know what I'm saying. I'm done racing after this. It's time I just focus on school and the rest of my life."

Satoro listened worried. What was she thinking now?

"Satoro, please..." She met his eyes and he weakened and sighed.

"Okay." He breathed heavily, "When?"

"Soon." She finished her tea.

Satoro did the same then looked up at her, "You know, they have a nice billiard table here. Do you want to play a game with me?"

"Now?" She asked frowning.

Satoro nodded, "Keisuke-kun beat me and I want to get him back."

Mitsu smiled, "You were beat!"

"Don't rub it in. I just wasn't used to the table."

"Right!" She got up and followed him to the recreation room.

"I was!" Satoro said. He stopped suddenly as Mitsu froze in her tracks, "What's..."

He turned to look into the room, "Ryousuke-san."

The young man had turned to see who was entering. Upon seeing them he gave them a nod and turned off the television. Getting to his feet he walked towards them.

"Sorry, we didn't know you were in here. We'll leave." Satoro apologized.

"No need. I was about to leave anyway." He stated.

Mitsu looked him over curiously. He was still dressed in the white button down shirt he had worn yesterday. It was untucked from his dress pants and slightly wrinkled. Hadn't he gone to sleep last night? How many days had it been since he last slept?

He stepped past them and left the room.

"Seems like something is bothering him..."

"Mmm..." Mitsu turned to her best friend, "Would you mind practicing by yourself for a while?"

Satoro studied her a moment, "No, but you owe me a game later."

Mitsu smiled and nodded, "I'll see you in a bit." She said and left the room.

Satoro stared after her. His best friend sure had a keen interest in the welfare of the one and only Takahashi Ryousuke. He smiled and went to set up the billiard balls.

* * *

Mitsu made her way to Ryousuke's room and knocked on the closed door.

"Come in."

She took a deep steadying breath and pushed open the door and walked in. He was looking through his closet and hadn't bothered to look who had entered. She shut the door silently.

"Is there something wrong Mitsu-Chan?" He asked without looking at her.

"How did you know it was me?"

"Keisuke would not be awake at this hour, my parents have both left, and the possibility of Satoro coming to see me right now is very slim." He pulled out a white golf shirt with a blue strip on the arms and the collar and a pair of khaki coloured pants, "So?" He probed as he glanced at her.

"Are you going somewhere?"

Ryousuke tilted his head to the side slightly, "I need a shower." He finally replied. He continued to look at her, "Anything else?"

Mitsu hesitated, "I... I wanted to know if you were okay? I... I can't help but feel like I've disrupted your life somehow."

Silence.

She carefully looked up at him.

He frowned, "I'm fine. You give yourself too much credit Mitsu-Chan. You have absolutely no effect on my life." He stated stoically.

He watched as shock registered on her face then hurt. Both quickly faded though and she became completely impassive, "Next Friday, Takahashi Ryousuke. I will defeat you." She said coldly then spun on her heals and casually strolled out of his room.

Ryousuke raised a free hand to his temple and rubbed them tiredly. Control. Everything is under your control...

* * *

Mitsu calmly strolled back downstairs but the blank look on her face had vanished and was now replaced with a scowl. She entered the recreation room.

"Whoa! What happened to you?" Satoro exclaimed as he straightened from the billiard table.

"Nothing. Let's get out of here."

Satoro stared at her a moment before following her out of the room to the lobby, "I guess your talk didn't go well?"

"Oh, you might want to come back for Friday."

Satoro's eyes widened, "You set a date!"

Mitsu nodded and slipped on her shoes, "So can you start advertising for me?"

Satoro nodded simply and she thanked him softly before exiting the house. He sighed and followed after her. He pulled the door closed and turned to see Mitsu staring sadly at her car. Deep down in her heart, he knew she didn't really want to sell it. She loved that car.

"Can you advertise it on the website as well?" She asked when he came to stand beside her.

"Sure Mitsu. I can do that for you."

His best friend nodded then took a deep breath and put on a smile, "So... What do you want to do?"

He turned to her, "Let's go shopping."

Her eyes brightened, "Really?"

Satoro smiled, "Yeah, really." Unique as she was, she still had that common interest girls shared: Shopping.

She smiled and hugged him, "You're awesome!" She exclaimed.

Satoro chuckled, "Okay let's go. I want to come back in time to go see the race tonight."

"Oh, yeah..." She pulled away from him.

"It'll be fun. Besides, don't you want to see how Keisuke-kun races? He might give away some hints as to how your main target races. I mean he was taught by his brother."

Mitsu smiled lightly, "Yeah, maybe." She glanced at the white RX7 that was now parked beside the yellow one, "Let's go already!" She said grabbing his arm and pulling him over to his car.

Satoro smiled and complied. He never could resist her.

* * *

Author's Note:

Thanks again GT4SilverShadow - I've changed the engine size and ungraded the turbo! Much Apreciated!

Also thanks to ACC - Oops! it is supposed to be an S14!!! Thanks! I bet he would get an FD just to be like Keisuke too if he had the $$$.

Cheers,

CelicaChick


	9. Chapter 9: Shifting into Overdrive

Please note: This chapter has been modified from its original version to take into account valuable information provided by GT4SilverShadow. In doing so, I hope to make the story more believable.

* * *

Chapter 9

Mitsu and Satoro entered the house carrying several bags.

"What the heck? Did you two buy the whole store?" Keisuke exclaimed bouncing into the lobby.

"Almost!" Satoro said rolling his eyes.

Mitsu elbowed him, "It was your idea!"

Satoro turned to her and smiled, "I know." He said softly.

Satisfied, Mitsu turned to Keisuke who was watching them curiously, "Ready for your race tonight?"

"Of course. Ryousuke makes sure I'm ready." He turned to look at Mitsu. She looked happier today, "You're going to come watch right?"

She glanced at Satoro, "Yeah." She turned to Keisuke and nodded giving him a smile. He seemed happy with her answer. She picked up her bags, "I'm going to bring these upstairs." She said and collected all the bags.

"Need some help?" Satoro offered.

"I'm okay." She said and started up the stairs. She could feel the eyes of both Satoro and Keisuke watching her. She reached the second floor and dropped a few bags to the ground to open her bedroom door. Picking them up again, she walked into her room and placed the bags on her bed. Sighing she laid down on the bed. Shopping sure was exhausting sometimes. She wondered suddenly where Ryousuke-san was. His car was still outside, but she hadn't seen him yet. Probably in his room studying or prepping for the race tonight. She shut her eyes sleepily, but as soon as her eyes were closed, she remembered them. She sat up and looked about. Unpack. That's what she would do. She emptied the bags on her bed and started going through the new things she had bought. Her eyes caught sight of the two blue boxes. She picked one up and rushed out of her room back downstairs, "Keisuke-san!" She called in excitement as she went to peak in the living room. Empty. She went to the kitchen. Empty.

"Keisuke?" She called again.

"In here!"

Mitsu smiled. Of course! She rushed to the Recreation room and found the two guys in the middle of a game of billiards, "Keisuke-san!" She sing-songed as she went straight towards him, "Here." She pushed the box into his hands.

He stared at her in surprise as he slowly accepted the box, "What's this?" He almost looked afraid of the box.

Mitsu laughed, "Well you won't know until you open it cutie!"

Keisuke's eyes shot onto her surprised at the name. The girl only smiled.

"Open it!" she said again. She clasped her hands together in excitement.

Keisuke looked down at the package and carefully pulled at the wrapping. He slowly became more excited as the wrapping came off. He glanced at Satoro who smiled and simply nodded for him to hurry. That was all the encouragement he needed and he tore the remaining paper off and pulled open the box, "Oh Wow! Thanks Mitsu-Chan!" Keisuke said pulling out the Yellow sweater, "It's the exact same colour as my car!"

"Look at the back." Satoro said smiling.

Keisuke turned over the sweater and sat the 'Mazda Sport' stitching. He smiled and passed his fingers over it. He turned to Mitsu and bowed repeatedly, "Thank you Mitsu-Chan!" He said happily.

Mitsu laughed lightly, "You're welcome. I saw it and you immediately came to my mind." She was still smiling as Keisuke pulled the sweater over his head and slipped it on, "It suits you."

"Thanks again Mitsu-Chan!" He said still smiling.

"It's okay. I'm going to go finish putting away my stuff and let you guys finish your game." She said looking happily at Keisuke again before leaving the recreation room. She went back upstairs to her room and grabbed the other blue box. He was probably in his room since he hadn't been downstairs. She hesitated at his door. Was she ready to give this to him? Would he find it weird? She looked down at the box in her hands. It would probably seem weird if she didn't give him something too after giving his brother something. She took a deep breath and knocked on the door lightly. Nervously.

Silence.

She frowned and reached for the door handle. What would he think if she just barged into his room? Then again he had entered her room last night uninvited. She turned the knob and slowly pushed open the door, "Ryousuke-san?" She called tentatively.

Still no answer, so she dared to peak in the room. She frowned. He was at his desk. How dare he ignore her! She pushed the door open completely and marched straight to his desk where he was seated. She slowed abruptly, noticing suddenly that his head was lowered onto the table surface. She carefully stepped closer to him and she couldn't help the small smile that filled her face. His left hand was still holding his textbook open, while his other hand lay on his notebook. She glanced at it. He must have fallen asleep while taking notes. His clean sophisticated handwriting that adorned the top of the page had gradually become uneven, then finally illegible before it broke mid-word as he finally fell asleep. She turned her eyes on him again. His dark hair fell slightly in his face and she reached carefully to brush it back so that she could see him more clearly. The thought that he might wake at her touch never crossed her mind. Worry came upon her face as she saw him frown even in sleep. She wondered what he was dreaming about. She pulled her hand away. Was he being afflicted with the same problem? Did he dread falling asleep as she did? Was that why he never seemed to want to go to sleep? What in the world could bother a man like Takahashi Ryousuke? She continued to study him confused.

"Aniki!"

Mitsu stepped back shocked as her eyes darted towards the door. Keisuke stood in the doorway with surprise written all over his face.

"What is it Keisuke?" A sleepy voice answered.

Mitsu's gaze darted onto Ryousuke. He was straightening in his chair. His eyes were open now, still glazed with sleep but rapidly adopting their cool, hard indifferent look. Their eyes met unavoidably.

"Umm… Excuse me." She bowed slightly and rushed past a still surprised Keisuke and out of the room.

The brothers looked at each other.

Keisuke shut the door and went to sit on his brother's bed, "Finally got some sleep?"

"Mmm." Ryousuke turned back towards the table and glanced down at his notebook. He frowned, completely unable to read what he had written. He tore out the page and crumpled it before tossing it in the garbage. He'd have to re-read that chapter he thought to himself as he closed his textbook and proceeded to shut down his laptop.

"She was staring at you when you were sleeping you know." Keisuke finally said watching closely for his brother's reaction.

"What's this?"

Keisuke got to his feet and went to his brother, "Hey, she got you one too?" He said as a smile filled his face.

Ryousuke glanced up at his brother questioningly.

"She bought me this really nice yellow sweater." Keisuke informed him, "So? Are you going to open it?" He asked looking at the blue wrapped box.

Ryousuke shrugged as he pushed the box aside so that he could neatly pile up his books and push them to the corner of his desk, "It might not be for me, Keisuke."

"Why would she bring it to your room if it wasn't?" Keisuke asked frowning.

Ryousuke glanced at him. His brother had analyzed the situation before he had done so and come up with a viable conclusion. He frowned and glanced at the box. He was slipping. This couldn't happen now. He needed to think clearly for tonight's race.

"Come on, just open it!" Keisuke said pushing the box in front of him, "I want to see what she got you."

Ryousuke simply got to his feet and went to close the patio door before turning to his brother again. He kept his gaze averted from the desk where the blue box seemed to be taunting him.

"So?"

"It would be rude to open it while she wasn't here." Ryousuke blurted out wanting to get his brother to drop the subject.

"Okay, I'll go get her!" Keisuke said rushing out of the room.

"Keisuke!" He called. Too late. Damn it! He glanced over at the blue box frowning. Dangerous. Did she have a second motive? Did she know what she was doing to him? He had thought that the threat surrounding her revolved around her secret identity of being the Tokyo Phantom. Was he wrong? Was there something else? He lowered his body to the bed and dropped his head into his hands. Damn it. He couldn't think clearly.

"Okay! She's here!" Keisuke's voice boomed with excitement.

Ryousuke casually turned to look at them, his expression blank.

"See, it was for you!" Keisuke said going to the desk to grab the box and carry it over to his brother.

Ryousuke simply frowned and accepted the box. He glanced at Mitsu who was staring at the floor, "This is very nice of you." He said casually. He watched as she looked up at him and blushed slightly.

"I hope you like it." She said softly.

Keisuke looked between them curiously. Mitsu was acting kind of strange around his brother. She wasn't like this when she had given him his gift. He turned to his brother who was still holding the box and watching Mitsu blankly, "Open it already!" He said rolling his eyes, "We don't have all day, you know!"

Ryousuke glanced at his impatient brother and looked over the box. He found the edge of the wrapper and started pulling off the tape. He knew that his slow approach to opening the gift was annoying his brother. Good.

"Where's Satoro-san?" He asked casually.

"Practicing at Pool." Keisuke said dismissively, "I beat him again, and he wants to get back at me." He added when his brother glanced at him curiously.

Ryousuke pulled the box out of the wrapper and slowly opened it.

"What is it?" He went to his brother and peeked inside the box.

Ryousuke picked up the corners of the off white material and lifted the garment out of the box.

"You got one too!" Keisuke said smiling, "Look at the back!"

Ryousuke turned the sweater over, his eyes focusing on the stitching. He touched it lightly.

"Nice huh?"

He nodded and folded the sweater back into the box before looking up at Mitsu who was watching him. He got to his feet and bowed politely, "Thank you Mitsu-Chan. It was very kind of you, but you really didn't have to."

"I wanted to." Mitsu replied softly.

"Well, thank you." Ryousuke said again and bowed once more. He then turned to his brother that was watching them intently, "We should make you something to eat." He said casually.

Keisuke smiled and got to his feet. He approached his brother and Mitsu, "Let's go."

Ryousuke nodded, "I'll be down in a moment." He said and waited for them to leave before he glanced down at the sweater in the box he still held in his hands. He carefully removed it from the box and looked at it again. He frowned. What was she trying to do now? He carried the sweater to his closet and hung the sweater at the very end then he flattened the box and unconsciously folded the wrapping paper before placing them in the trashcan. He was still contemplating her actions as he walked into the kitchen. As he suspected it was empty. It didn't matter, he rather work alone anyway. He went to the fridge and pulled it open. What could he make for dinner…

"Something that won't stay in his stomach for very long." He said to himself as he looked through the fridge.

"A salad."

Ryousuke froze then slowly peeked over the fridge door at the voice. Mitsu was walking into the kitchen.

"If you want something that he'll digest fast and won't stay in his stomach. Salad." She explained moving towards him to look in the fridge.

"A salad is not going to satisfy my brother." He said casually as he moved away from the door when Mitsu moved to reach for something inside.

"With some chicken." She said pulling out the bag of white meat, "He'll like it."

He simply stared at her a moment before also reaching into the fridge and taking out the lettuce. Both then moved away to find a spot to work.

"Mmm… Something smells good!" Keisuke said as he and Satoro entered the kitchen twenty minutes later, "Salad?"

Mitsu nodded and he turned to his brother worried.

Ryousuke continued to set the table, "There's some noodles in the fridge, but don't eat too much of it." He said simply.

Keisuke brightened at the prospect and went to get the small bowl of cold noodles from the fridge and placed it on the table.

"What else did you guys need to do?" Satoro asked moving towards his best friend.

"Nothing. Take a seat." She said carrying the large bowl of chicken salad to the table and started serving them into the empty plates. They all sat down and waited for her to take her seat.

"It looks good." Satoro said looking up at his best friend and Takahashi Ryousuke.

"Let's eat. Wouldn't want Keisuke to be late." She said giving him a warm smile.

They all picked up their chopsticks then and started eating.

"I never thought I would actually like eating salad, but this is pretty good." Keisuke said and took another mouth full.

"Don't say that or you'll be eating girl food for the rest of your life!" Satoro warned. He was rewarded with a glare from Mitsu.

"It's good for you. And besides, you're sure your stomach won't be feeling gross before or during your race."

"And she should know. Salad is all she eats before a race."

"Really?" Keisuke said amazed. Sure it was good, but he couldn't imagine eating salad all the time. He reached over for some noodles.

Ryousuke watched him casually and continued to eat his salad silently. He quickly finished and glanced at his watch. The team would start arriving in less than an hour. Picking up his plate he carried it to the dishwater and started loading it.

Keisuke followed his brother's example and polished off his food, "Okay, I'm going to get changed." He said after putting his plate away and turning to leave the kitchen.

"Keisuke. Have you forgotten your manners?" Ryousuke's voice called casually.

The younger brother glanced towards Ryousuke who was standing at the counter holding a bottle of water. He sipped it casually.

Keisuke turned to Mitsu, "Thank you for dinner Mitsu-Chan. It was very good." He said bowing then rushing out of the kitchen.

Mitsu could only smile and started eating again. Satoro noticed and glanced at Ryousuke. He was staring at the bottle in his hands. His brows furrowed in thought. Satoro turned back to his food and started eating again. He hadn't once seen Takahashi Ryousuke smile. He hadn't really spoken to him either for that matter. It was hard to admit, but Takahashi Ryousuke intimidated him. He glanced at his best friend. Mitsu however didn't seem to have that problem.

"Are you done?"

Satoro turned to her voice and looked down at his plate. It was empty, "Ah, yeah. Thanks." He said as she took his plate and went to put it in the dishwasher. Ryousuke moved to the table to collect the remnants of remaining food and place them back in the fridge. When he turned about Mitsu was already in the process of wiping down the table. He moved away from the fridge and left the kitchen. He needed to get as far away from her as possible.

Keisuke poked his head into the kitchen, "Are you guys ready? I'm going to wait outside with Ryousuke." He said and disappeared again.

Satoro and Mitsu exchanged looks.

"He's almost hyperactive."

"He's just excited about the race." Mitsu smiled, "Let's go. You're going to drive right?"

"Me? I thought we could take your car. I need to have one last drive in it before you sell it." He saw his best friend's eyes broaden, "But, you know, I wouldn't mind driving my car to Shirane either." He quickly added.

"Thanks Satoro." She said softly as she linked her arm in his and they walked out of the kitchen together.

Outside Keisuke was actively listening to what his brother was telling him. That is, until they got within hearing range. That's when Ryousuke stopped speaking to glance down at his watch then turned to stare off in the distance, "Fujiwara, is almost here." He stated casually as he moved away from the small gathering so that he could see down the length of the driveway.

Satoro stared after him, "How does he know?"

"He can hear him coming. Not many people can down gear like that around our neighborhood." Keisuke said shrugging. He turned to see Takumi's black and white Trueno come into view. The car pulled up beside Ryousuke and the young driver got out. He shook hands with his brother and the two of them walked over.

"Satoro-san, this is Project D's second driver Fujiwara Takumi, Fujiwara this is Mitsu-Chan's friend from Tokyo Arihyoshi Satoro."

The two of them shook hands and exchanged pleasantries as several other cars arrived. Ryousuke went to speak to Fumihiro as Keisuke took on the role of introducing Satoro to the Project D crew.

Fumihiro and Ryousuke watched as the final introductions were made.

"Is everything okay Ryousuke-san?"

"Hai."

"That's good."

"It's time to go, Fumihiro."

The other man nodded, "Okay, everyone, it's time. Get to your vehicles." He called and they watched as everyone immediately went to their car or one of the support vans. Ryousuke nodded in satisfaction and both he and Fumihiro climbed into the crew's van. They were off. Ryousuke leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes. He needed to rest.

* * *

Mitsu's eyes rested on the forth generation electric blue Nissan Z32 Fairlady (1) while Project D's crew went to congratulate Takumi on his downhill victory over Overdrive's spring green Honda Delsol. She watched as Overdrive's team leader spoke to the 32s driver. She wondered what he was saying. From their body language she highly doubted that the conversation was one to give encouragement. She turned to look at Project D. Ryousuke was standing by his younger brother next to the FD. Keisuke had both his hands tucked in his pockets as he quietly listened as his brother spoke to him. He looked relaxed. She turned to the older brother. His eyes met hers briefly before turning back to his brother. Keisuke must have noticed, since he turned and glanced back in her direction. He gave her a small wave before he was called back to attention by his brother. She frowned when she saw Keisuke's body posture straighten stiffly. She looked at Ryousuke and found him to be much in the same condition. This wasn't good. Keisuke, from what she could gather, was a rather rash hot-headed person. He needed to be kept calm and right now he looked anything but, "Ryousuke-san, what are you doing…" She whispered softly.

"Hey, you! What are you looking at?" Satoro asked as he came to stand by her, "Oh. I see." He said as he followed her gaze to the two Takahashi brothers, "They look a little uptight…"

Mitsu nodded as she continued to watch them, "No…" She whispered as Keisuke pulled open his car door.

"What's the matter?"

"He's in the wrong mind set."

Satoro frowned and looked at the young man again. Ryousuke placed a hand on the door and Keisuke turned to him.

Mitsu chewed her lower lip as she watched them speak again. A smile came to her lips and she sighed in relief as Keisuke nodded and smiled. Everything would be okay now. The young man had entered his car and closed the door. Ryousuke said one last thing to him and the yellow FD made it's way out of the parking lot and headed to the base of the mountain. She turned to the lone man standing to the side watching. He wasn't alone very long before Fumihiro, Fujiwara Takumi and Matsumoto joined him. She watched curiously. They seemed to gravitate towards him, as though he was emitting some kind of energy. She felt it too.

"Let's join them? We might learn something new." Satoro suggested.

Mitsu glanced at him. Even Satoro was being drawn in by his 'power'.

"Come on! I know you're curious to know what's going on over there." He said placing a hand at the small of her back and gently leading her towards the small group.

"Hey you guys." Matsumoto said smiling as they approached.

Mitsu smiled and walked over to Takumi, "Congratulations Takumi-san."

"Ah, thank you Mitsu-Chan." He replied simply then stole a quick glance at Ryousuke.

Mitsu found that kind of odd but didn't say anything.

"They're almost at the bottom!" Someone from the Overdrive team said. The group quieted a moment.

"So Mitsu-Chan, Keisuke told us that you're a famous racer in Tokyo. Why didn't you tell any of us?" Matsumoto wondered.

"Yeah, He said you were undefeated." Fumihiro added curiously.

"She is." Satoro interjected. He glanced at his best friend who looked uncomfortable, "But she likes to keep things low key."

"Now, that you live in the Gunma area, will you be joining a team here?" Fumihiro asked.

Mitsu shook her head, "I'm retiring soon." She said casually.

"What?!?!" Both Fumihiro and Matsumoto said simultaneously.

She smiled, "Priorities." She said simply and looked away.

Fujiwara Takumi watched silently. He looked over at Ryousuke who still had his arms crossed and was looking out into the distance as though he could see his brother driving down Mount Shirane towards the start line. _'Fujiwara Takumi, you know very well that sometimes people just have the need to drive . . . For whatever reason.' _Ryousuke's words echoed in his mind. He glanced at Fukotomi Mitsu. Was she the reason?

"They've started!" Someone yelled.

The small group fell silent.

"The Nissan took the lead! It looks like the FD let him have it."

Fumihiro glanced at Ryousuke, "Is that part of the plan?"

Ryousuke simply nodded, "I want Keisuke to see and learn something."

* * *

Keisuke shifted into third gear smoothly. The 32 was fast! Why did his brother want him to follow from behind? If he was this fast wouldn't it have been safer to be in front so that he could suppress him? With him in the lead, there was nothing holding him from going full throttle. He frowned. If his brother said to follow behind there must have been a good reason. His brother was never wrong. The first corner loomed closer. The 32 was braking. Keisuke shifted into a lower gear and pressed on his brakes lightly to prevent from crashing into the car in front of him. It was a tight sharp corner. They pulled out of it and immediately the 32's speed picked up drastically. Keisuke pressed on the throttle and he felt his FD come to life. The slightest pressure of his foot on the accelerator caused a sudden surge of power, one that he could feel at the soles of his feet. He had almost reached one hundred and forty kilometers when the car in front of him hit his brakes again. Keisuke quickly down geared and followed the electric blue Nissan though another tight, slow corner. He hated these slow corners.

* * *

"Keisuke is right on him. He's probably really hating being stuck behind the 32." Matsumoto exclaimed frowning.

"What did you want him to see and learn by running behind?" Fumihiro asked looking over at Ryousuke.

"I want him to study his opponent and see the difference in their driving styles. At the same time, it will force him to learn to be patient." Ryousuke answered casually, "Unlike Fujiwara, Keisuke is easily excited."

"How is this going to teach him to be patient?" Matsumoto asked curiously.

"He'll be too occupied studying the driver in front of him to worry about anything else." Ryousuke answered simply.

"Do you think he'll actually study his opponent?" Matsumoto questioned.

"Of course he will. Ryousuke told him to." Fumihiro replied completely sure of himself.

Mitsu looked between the two men as they spoke. Would Keisuke really try so hard to study his opponent that he would forget to feel anxious running behind him? She turned her attention to Takahashi Ryousuke. The man was still watching something in the distance that only he could see. She shifted her gaze away from him and caught sight of Takumi turning away. She watched him a moment in surprise. How long had he been watching her?

* * *

Keisuke's eyes narrowed as he saw the oncoming corner. His eyes shifted onto the 32 expecting him to brake very soon. The Nissan's driver had been breaking sooner than he had been expecting. He smiled lightly. That was one difference. He wondered if it was one of the things his brother wanted him to notice. The Nissan's driver was definitely braking earlier than Keisuke himself would have. He shifted down a gear as they went through the corner. Slow. They were going so slow. His eyes glanced to the side. There was still plenty of room on both sides of his vehicle. In fact, they were pretty much in a single lane. Grip driving. Something he hadn't done much of in a long time. He smiled. That was something else he could tell his brother.

* * *

"Ryousuke-san isn't it a big risk to let the Nissan, who's comparable in horse power as Keisuke's FD, take the lead? How can you know that the 32 won't pull away?" Matsumoto asked worried.

Fumihiro and Ryousuke exchanged glances.

"Ryousuke-san and I came here last night to see what we were up against and he gathered some valuable data."

Satoro exchanged looks with Mitsu. They were both curious.

"What?" Satoro asked as he looked between Ryousuke and Fumihiro.

"The Nissan's driver brakes too early before going into any corner and accelerates too late coming out of the corner. He misses the ideal time for braking and accelerating." Fumihiro explained when Ryousuke nodded to him to explain.

"The driver can't be that good then." Matsumoto said. Satoro agreed..

"There's a reason for that." Ryousuke mentioned suddenly without looking at any of them.

The group went silent and exchanged confused but curious looks.

"They should be reaching the second half of the run now." Ryousuke spoke again.

* * *

Keisuke accelerated out of the corner as soon as the Nissan started accelerating. Up ahead he could see the next turn. He smiled. He had reached the point in the course where his brother had told him he could start looking for opportunities to overtake his opponent. But first, Ryousuke wanted him to find a weakness in the 32's driving. The electric blue car's brake lights flashed on and Keisuke had to apply his brake and down gear as fast as possible. The guy in front of him was still braking earlier than what he would have done. Both of their speed slowed. More grip driving and in a high-speed corner! Keisuke frowned. Why was he using grip driving in this corner? Was he unskilled in drifting? They exited the corner and started accelerating again. Keisuke lifted his foot off the accelerator as he saw the next corner. He looked at the 32, and as he expected it started braking. They went though the corner much like they had all the corners before. Keisuke accelerated again and again he lifted his foot off the gas before they reached the corner, but to his surprise the 32 didn't brake as he expected. The Nissan had slowed but not drastically. Keisuke's heart rate increased. Was his opponent playing around with him? He touched the accelerator lightly to lessen the increasing gap. He was matching the Nissan's speed as the car in front of him started to oversteer slightly. Keisuke's eyes focused down at the Nissan's tires. There was something strange about his drift. Could you even call what the guy was doing a drift? It looked like he had lost control of his car…

* * *

"Ryousuke-san, are you saying that there's a reason why the Nissan's driver isn't driving well?" Matsumoto queried confused.

Ryousuke nodded.

That caught all of their attentions. Takumi listened more closely. They all waited for Project D's leader to explain himself.

"There several reasons why the Nissan 32's driver drives the way he does." Ryousuke started casually. He glanced across the parking lot at the gathering of Team Overdrive members and fans. They were still relating details of how close the cars were. From the sound of it, Overdrive's representative was still barely hanging on to the lead.

"The biggest factor why he's not driving to his full potential is because his car has more power than he can handle. Instead of increasing his skill level he opted to increase the car's power. Keisuke should start to notice this now that they are in the part of the course where there are more high speed corners." He paused a moment and turned to Takumi. The teen understood instinctively that by drifting he got though the corners faster, but it was time that he learned the technical reasons behind the result, "The fastest way around a corner is to lessen the distance you have to travel. Oversteer," He looked at Takumi carefully to see if he understood, "allows the back of the car to travel a wider path than the front which allows the car to turn a tighter or smaller radius corner. The smaller distance allows you to go through the corner in less time. So oversteering will get you around a corner faster." When Takumi nodded to show that he understood, Ryousuke turned to look in the distance again, "One reason Overdrive's driver doesn't drift his car in the high speed corners is because he can't control the power output of his car. It's very clear when he attempts to drift in those corners. Keisuke should notice this."

"So the car is too much for the driver to handle." Matsumoto said to himself.

"It almost becomes a disadvantage for him to have such a car." Fumihiro added.

"The car itself was a bad choice to begin with," Ryousuke informed them, "It's very heavy, and although one would think that the weight of the car would be due to a strongly reinforced frame, the Z32's chassis is undesirably flexible" (2). He continued to look in the distance, "It's also known to produce understeer. A very counterproductive trait. That's the other reason he may be having problems drifting" (3).

Ryousuke glanced at the small group of people listening to him, "There's also the possibility of a psychological reason." He glanced at Fumihiro, "After I left your house last night I did some research. Akechi Heiji, the Nissan 32's driver, had an accident a few months ago. He was practicing his drifts when he lost control of the car and found himself off the road wrapped around a tree. His hesitation going into corners may be partially attributed to this accident as well. To me, he seems to be harboring a certain amount of fear as he drives and until he gets over that he won't improve above the level he's at right now."

The group was silent as each contemplated all of the things Takahashi Ryousuke had said.

* * *

This was the forth high-speed corner, and just as before, the Nissan driver seemed to lose control. Such a slight slip angle and the driver was struggling. The next corner. It was fast approaching and just as the Nissan started to slow down his entry speed, Keisuke swung his FD to the outside to avoid having to break and pressed further down on the accelerator. He needed to reach a higher speed if he was going to drift through this slight almost obsolete incline. He smiled and he went full throttle.

* * *

"Heiji was passed!" Someone from Overdrive yelled, "The FD just power over drifted past him on the outside!"

Fumihiro smiled, "Just as you expected?" He asked glancing at Ryousuke. The man simply nodded without looking away from where he was staring. A power over drift? From Keisuke? Was his brother beginning to learn the value of tactics? To withhold your true potential from the calculating gaze of onlookers?

"Power over drifted?" Takumi repeated unsurely.

Ryousuke heard him. He glanced at him and nodded, "It can only be done with lots of horse power. The driver goes full throttle to produce heavy oversteer. It's easy to perform yet you need to know your car's limit to prevent yourself from spinning out. An easy feat for almost anyone."

Takumi nodded and Ryousuke turned again to stare off in the distance.

"The FD is pulling away! Heiji can't keep up!" The statement floated over from across the parking lot, "The FD is almost at the top!"

Mitsu turned her attention to the entrance of the parking lot and couldn't help the excited smile that came to her face as she heard the rotary engine of Takahashi Keisuke's car. It came over the crest like a sunrise.

She glanced at Ryousuke and was surprised to see that he had his eyes closed and his head slightly lowered. She watched him curiously. What a strange reaction.

Takumi stayed behind as most of the Project D members went to congratulate Keisuke on his victory. He lowered his head slightly and watched as Mitsu-Chan openly studied Ryousuke.

"Interesting, isn't it?"

Takumi's head jerked up at the sound of the voice so close to him, "Fumihiro senpai."

The man smiled and nodded towards Mitsu, "I warned her to be careful. But it seems like she's getting attached to him anyway." He sighed.

Takumi looked at her confused and then turned to Ryousuke-san still confused. Could it be?

"Come, let's go congratulate Keisuke."

Takumi nodded and they started towards the yellow FD and the smiling young driver.

"Okay, stop looking at him and let's go see the winner." Satoro said nudging her.

"What?" Mitsu said turning to her friend.

Satoro simply smile, "Come on."

Ryousuke opened his eyes when he heard the FD come to a stop, and watched as everyone huddled around his brother to congratulate him. He waited for everyone to finish and start to disperse before he made his way towards him. As expected his brother waited for him.

"So?"

Keisuke became serious, "He slows sooner going into the corners and accelerates later. He also doesn't seem to have much control over his car in higher speed corners. The slightest oversteer and I feel like he gets nervous."

Ryousuke nodded, "Good." He replied satisfied.

"Aniki?"

"Hmm?"

"Was that the only reason you wanted me to stay behind for so long?"

"No. There are other reasons too."

Keisuke waited for his brother to explain.

"I wanted you to learn patience. But that will take time. And in keeping you behind I was sure your tires would have plenty of grip for the second half of the race."

Keisuke nodded then he allowed his smile to overtake his face again.

Ryousuke nodded, "Let's go home Keisuke." His brother nodded and climbed back in his car.

Mitsu and Satoro sat silently in the Prelude.

"They're an amazing bunch." Satoro said softly.

Mitsu nodded simply. She watched as Ryousuke climbed into one of the vans.

"He's an amazing person."

"Yeah…"

"So you admit it!" Satoro said turning to look at her full on.

"Huh?" Mitsu turned to him confused.

Satoro smiled, "You're attracted to him!"

His friend's eyes widened, "What to Ryousuke-san!?!? I don't think so!"

Satoro chuckled, "Uh huh…"

Mitsu crossed her arms defiantly, "Just drive. They're leaving without us."

"Yes ma'am!" He replied still smiling in amusement.

* * *

Author's note:

(1), (2) and (3): should be credited to GT4SilverShadow, who graciously shared his knowledge of cars with me. Truth be told, I was quite anxious to know the opinions of someone who had extensive knowledge on cars. So thanks again! I value your reviews, and I hope you don't mind that I included the info you sent in the story!

Hope everyone continues to enjoy the story!

Grateful to the readers,

CelicaChick.


	10. Chapter 10: Alien Emotion

**Chapter 10**

Mitsu followed Satoro to his room where he gathered the limited things he had unpacked from his bag. She sat on his bed watching him.

"Hey! Smile! I'll be back to visit you again!" Satoro informed her as he took a seat beside her on the bed.

She nodded simply as she suddenly felt very lonely at the prospect of him leaving the next morning.

Satoro sighed and wrapped his arms around her protectively, "I know you miss them, sweetie…" He whispered softly. He felt his best friend tremble in his arms.

A knock resounded on his half open door and both looked up to see Takahashi Ryousuke.

"Oh, my apologies." He said seeing them and backing away to leave.

"No. That's okay. What's up?" Mitsu said finding her voice.

Satoro glanced down at her surprised by the steadiness he heard in her voice.

Ryousuke glanced at them, "Don't worry about it." He said roughly over his shoulders.

"Hey, are they coming?" Keisuke appeared. He glanced in the room and frowned, "Are you sure you guys are just best friends?"

Mitsu's eyes widened, "Of course!" She turned to Satoro who wiggled his eyebrows teasingly, "Oh! Get a life!" She said hitting him.

Satoro laughed and unwrapped his arms from her shoulders. Interesting. She sure changed fast when Ryousuke appeared. He looked up towards the door and only saw Keisuke there watching them, "What's up?"

Keisuke turned to him and motioned in the direction his brother had gone, "Didn't he ask you guys?"

"Ask us what?" Mitsu interjected frowning.

He rolled his eyes, "If you guys wanted some tea or something. We were going to the kitchen to make something."

"Oh." Mitsu turned to her friend, "I'll have some. You?"

"Sure." He got to his feet and he and Mitsu followed Keisuke to the kitchen where Ryousuke had already started boiling some water. He didn't even look their way when they entered.

Mitsu moved towards the cupboards and pulled out four mugs and placed them on the counter close to him. He moved away and went to the fridge.

Satoro watched curiously as his best friend glanced at Ryousuke briefly before taking a seat at the table beside Keisuke and gave him a tired smile.

"So was it fun?" She asked casually.

Satoro joined them at the table.

"Fun?" Keisuke cocked his head to the side.

Mitsu smiled. Cute. He looked really cute when he did that, "Your race."

"Yeah, I guess." When Mitsu frowned, he smiled, "I haven't really thought about it. It was too easy, but I enjoyed it. So I guess, yeah. It was fun."

"I think she's missing it." Satoro informed him casually. He looked up towards Ryousuke who had moved from the fridge to one of the drawers. His back was turned towards them.

"Well nothing's stopping you from challenging someone." Keisuke said smiling.

Mitsu returned his smile lightly, "I have." She said and looked up towards Takahashi Ryousuke.

Keisuke looked at his brother shortly before turning to look at her, "Umm… You do know that he's retired right?"

"I heard a rumor about it."

"It's not a rumor." Keisuke stated simply.

"Well, he's going to come out of retirement long enough to accept my challenge."

Keisuke frowned and turned to look at Satoro. Did she have some kind of mental dysfunction or something? Did she seriously think his brother was going to come out of retirement just to race her? He was refusing everyone else under the sun, what made her think she was any different? He looked back at his brother who still hadn't said anything.

Ryousuke carried a plate of sliced apples and placed them at the center of the table. He then moved away again and went to pour the boiling water into the teapot. He stood there and waited.

"After that, I'm done." Mitsu stated softly.

"Why? I mean you really seem to like it. Plus you're undefeated!"

Mitsu smiled lightly, "It's just time to stop."

Keisuke didn't understand, but then it dawned on him. Was she quitting because of her parents? If so, then there was still a chance that she would re-join the racing world once she finished mourning their death. He looked up towards her, "Hey do I get a race?"

Satoro smiled and Mitsu looked up at him surprised. She hadn't even considered racing him.

"Yeah, maybe." She said simply.

Ryousuke moved to place a mug of tea in front of Mitsu, than Satoro and finally his brother. He went back to the counter and picked up his own.

"Thank you Ryousuke-san." Mitsu and Satoro said simultaneously.

Keisuke just nodded at his brother.

Mitsu smiled at the motion. The small response reminded her so much of his older brother. She glanced at the man leaning against the counter staring down at his tea.

Being the caring best friend, and wanting to see his friend happy, Satoro turned to Keisuke, "How about one more game of billiards?"

The younger man smiled, "Okay." He said smiling as they both got to their feet and carrying their tea with them started out of the kitchen.

"Keisuke."

The young man turned to his brother.

"Not too long."

"Hai." He turned to Satoro, "Let's go. I'm going to beat you again you know."

Satoro laughed, "We'll see about that!"

Mitsu watched them leave. A thick blanket of silence filled the kitchen and she stared down at her tea. She looked up at him, "Don't you miss racing Ryousuke-san? Especially when you watch?" She asked softly.

"No."

She frowned. He sounded like he meant it, but she knew he was lying. He loved racing. She was sure of it, "I do."

He didn't say anything and that was okay with her. He didn't have to.

"Your parents didn't even know you raced, did they." It was more of a statement than a question. He already knew the answer. She needed to talk about them. It would be better for her.

"No they didn't." She said softly, "I couldn't tell them. They wanted me to be a doctor just like them. Nothing else…"

To Ryousuke it all sounded too familiar. But, his parents had indulged him and Keisuke. He would have thought that her parents would have done so for her as well, since their fathers were so close.

"Have you ever tried to tell them?" He asked casually.

Mitsu shook her head again. This time tears filled her eyes, "No…" Her voice wavered. Another regret. She regretted so many things…

Ryousuke saw her shoulders slump forward. Her head tilted forward to allow her hair to fall towards her face, hiding it. He shut his eyes briefly, "You're tired. Come, I'll accompany you upstairs." He said softly as he set his unfinished tea on the counter and moved towards her.

Mitsu only nodded and got to her feet. He touched her arm ever so lightly and she moved forward out of the kitchen and upstairs to her room, "Goodnight, Ryousuke-san." She said as they reached her door. She was surprised when he followed her inside and shut the door, "Ryousuke-san?"

He walked deeper into the room silently looking about. Taking in the smallest details. All her pencils were sharpened. None of them had a rounded tip. And blue inked pens. His gaze landed on the cream coloured envelope marked with her name in flowing script, "You haven't opened their letter yet?" He turned to her.

Mitsu shook her head and sat down on her bed, "I… I can't…"

Ryousuke studied her a moment, then despite all the warnings screaming in his head, he approached her and sat down beside her. He raised a hand to her face and brushed his fingers against her cheek before brushing a lock of her hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear. She turned to look at him with those dark luminous eyes. They shone with tears. That did it. He was completely losing control of himself! He drew her into his arms and held her.

"Ryousuke-san…" She mumbled through her sobs.

"Shh… I'm here…" He said softly. What was he supposed to do now? He continued to hold her trembling body against his. She seemed to fit perfectly against him. What was he thinking? This wasn't right. He closed his eyes, but it felt so good. He stroked her back gently as he fought with his confusing feelings. He couldn't tell how long they had been wrapped up in each other's arms. His judgment seemed to have all abandoned him as his senses became completely aware of the woman in his arms. She smelled faintly of Vanilla and roses. Such a light feminine scent… So light, yet so strong that it was preventing him from thinking about anything else but her.

Mitsu gently pulled out of his embrace and looked up at him with tear stained eyes, "Thank you Ryousuke-san." She said softly. Her bottom lip was parted slightly and they still seemed to tremble.

Ryousuke's eyes lingered there a moment longer than he would have liked before meeting her eyes. He nodded gently. She continued to look at him. He suddenly felt like she was peeling down all his defenses and peering directly at his heart… His soul… He met her gaze. They were still soft. He was filled with a warm sensation, "Mitsu-Chan…" He whispered softly.

She tried to smile casually but failed. The silky sound of his voice sent shivers up her spine. His hand reached up to touch her hair again and she tilted her head unconsciously to feel the pressure of his touch. Her eyes closed briefly as she relished in the feeling and followed his hand towards him. Her eyes opened lazily and she found herself leaning towards him. Or was he leaning towards her? She wasn't sure. They got closer. Who was moving? She didn't care. He looked dazed, the strong cold look that usually harbored in his eyes, gone. She felt his warm breath on her lips, but then he pulled back and scrambled to his feet. If she had been in complete control of her senses at that moment she would have found his sudden lack of agility amusing. Takahashi Ryousuke, whose movements was always smooth, flowing and controlled. She blinked and looked up at him. Confusion filled his face, but it quickly washed away. He stepped back again and his shoulders squared, "Excuse me Mitsu-Chan. Good night." He bowed and turned to leave.

Mitsu watched him stunned. The door closed with a soft click after him. She sighed and dropped down on her bed, "Ryousuke-san…"

* * *

"Maybe the next time you visit." Keisuke said as they walked into the kitchen. He froze.

Satoro glanced inside, "What's wrong?" He looked at Keisuke who looked worried.

Keisuke frowned and stepped into the empty kitchen.

"What?" Satoro asked again following him.

"The cups." Keisuke said moving to collect the one on the table and the other still half full on the counter, "My brother would never leave them lying around like this." He dumped the unfinished tea and placed the mugs in the dishwasher.

Satoro looked about, "And the apples."

Keisuke turned to them and nodded still frowning. He went to get a Ziploc bag and dumped the apples in it before placing them in the fridge. Satoro in the meantime had placed the plate in the dishwasher, "Thanks."

"No problem." He saw that Keisuke still looked worried.

"I should get to bed." He said looking about the kitchen one last time before turning to Satoro who nodded.

They walked up the stairs together.

"I'm going to go talk to my brother. See you tomorrow." Keisuke said.

Satoro nodded, "Yeah, I'm going to check on Mitsu. Night."

"Night."

Satoro knocked on Mitsu's door and pushed it open when she called for him to enter. He smiled at Keisuke who had just knocked on his brother's door and entered Mitsu's room.

Keisuke watched him disappear. He turned back to his brother's door. There was no reply so he pushed it open and walked in. His brother was outside on his balcony. Keisuke shut the door and went to join him, "Aniki."

"Keisuke." His brother said casually.

"Is everything okay?" He asked going straight to the source of his concern.

Ryousuke turned to his brother and smiled lightly, "Of course Ototo."

Keisuke's worry surfaced, "You haven't called me that in a long time…"

Ryousuke shrugged and turned to look out again.

"Something's wrong." Keisuke said sighing, "And it's worrying me."

"There's no need to worry Keisuke. Nothing's wrong. I'm fine." He turned to his brother to meet his gaze.

Keisuke sighed, "I hope so." It was now his turn to look out in the distance.

"I'm going to get some cigarettes." Ryousuke said suddenly as he turned to leave.

"Here." Keisuke said holding out his pack.

Ryousuke took it from him. He stared down at it.

Keisuke chuckled, "I got lucky. She hasn't gotten a hold of mine yet."

Ryousuke frowned and took one out. He hesitated before lighting it. What was wrong with him? He really could use it right now.

"What's wrong?" Keisuke asked when his brother placed the cigarette back in the pack and handed it back to him.

"Nothing. I change my mind."

"Okay, that's not like you either." Keisuke turned to him, "You don't usually change your mind when you decide on something."

"Maybe it's time we both quit." Ryousuke said suddenly.

Keisuke frowned, "She's messing with your mind Aniki!"

Ryousuke stared at his brother blankly, "Don't be silly, Keisuke."

"I'm not! Look at you! Ever since we met her you've been acting really strange!" Keisuke said in frustration and worry.

Ryousuke simply looked at him. Was he slipping that badly?

"Wait a minute! You're not falling for her are you!?!?!?" Keisuke's eyes widened.

"No." Ryousuke answered sternly. His brother was going to know that fact right now.

His brother frowned.

"Keisuke…" Ryousuke sighed, "Have I ever lied to you?"

His younger brother shook his head.

"And have I ever lead you to believe that you can't trust me?"

"No…"

Ryousuke touched his shoulder, "I'm not falling for her okay? You don't have to worry. I don't have time for women. What with school, Project D and the Redsuns, where am I going to find time to indulge a woman?"

Keisuke smiled unsurely. That was true.

"See. Everything will be okay. I've just been really busy lately and I haven't been getting much sleep. I haven't been thinking very clearly." He admitted to his brother, "That's why I keep telling you to get your rest. Especially before races." He studied his brother carefully and watched as he seemed to be absorbing everything he had just said.

"What if you fall for her?" Keisuke said suddenly catching his brother off guard.

"I won't Keisuke, because I won't allow it." Ryousuke answered firmly.

Keisuke frowned. His brother was good at controlling his emotions and his feelings, but could he really prevent himself from falling in love? He had heard so much about love hitting people between the eyes, leaving them dazed, and sometimes leaving them broken. He didn't want any of that to happen to his brother. Again.

"It happened before…"

Ryousuke sighed, "I let it happen the last time. It's not going to happen again. I don't need such complications."

Keisuke studied him carefully. He believed his brother meant what he said. He just needed to trust him and his unique ability to control everything going on about him. He smiled, "Aniki?"

"Hmm?"

"If girls weren't so much trouble, I wouldn't mind you going out with Mitsu-Chan."

Ryousuke frowned, "You're being very contradictory tonight Keisuke. You should probably get some sleep."

Keisuke shrugged, "She's different. She's nice."

Ryousuke just stared at him, "Are you sure, you're not falling for her?" He hadn't seen any signs of attraction between the two but it didn't hurt to tease his brother a little.

"What!?!? No! She's not my type. Besides I don't have time for girls either."

Ryousuke frowned, "You just haven't met the right one yet." He said and shrugged, "But you will." He chuckled when his brother made a face, "Now get to bed Ototo."

"Are you going to start using that name again?"

"Maybe."

Keisuke frowned but he didn't mind. It reminded him of their younger days, "Are you going to get some rest?"

Ryousuke nodded, "Hai. I have a lot of work to do tomorrow." With that said he motioned for his brother to go back inside. He followed him and closed the sliding door of the patio. He watched as his younger brother went to his bedroom door.

"Good night Aniki." He said glancing back at him.

Ryousuke nodded, "Good night, Ototo." He watched as Keisuke smirked and left his room. He shook his head and prepared himself for bed. He took his time, knowing that once he laid down, Mitsu would fill his mind. And that, was the last thing he wanted or needed.

* * *

Mitsu stretched out with a satisfied groan. She sighed and looked around her. She felt refreshed. Climbing out of bed, she slipped her feet in her fuzzy white slippers and went to her closet to choose her clothes for the day. She got changed quickly then pulled her bedroom door opened and turned down the hall to go to the washroom. Moments later she stepped back into the hall and strolled over to Satoro's room. She knocked on it lightly.

"Come in."

She pushed the door open and stepped inside, "Good morning!" She said walking right up to him and wrapping her arms around him.

"Good morning, Beautiful." Satoro said giving her a quick hug, "I guess you slept well last night."

Mitsu nodded with a smile.

"Hmm…" Satoro studied her curiously, "Are you sure it doesn't have anything to do with Ryousuke-san?"

"What? No. What does he have anything to do with me having a good nights sleep?" She said rolling her eyes.

"Right… Come on, he must have spoken to you last night!"

"He escorted me to my room and we said goodnight. That's it." She said casually. It was true… It wasn't completely a lie. She had just… Omitted a few things…

"Hmm… Something else happened." He shrugged, "Well, it's okay. You don't have to tell me right now." He looked about the room, "I'm almost done."

Mitsu glanced about, "Can't you stay a little while longer?" She asked sadly.

Satoro sighed, "I'll be back Friday night okay?" He placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I know." She answered softly. The sadness swept off her face suddenly and she mustered a smile, "Well, let me get you something to drink and eat before you leave."

Satoro nodded, "Okay, let me just finish packing." He went over to his bed and stuffed the remaining clothes in the backpack and grabbed his jacket, "Alright. Let's go."

Mitsu nodded and led them out of the room and down the hall.

"Morning!"

Satoro and Mitsu turned to see the blond spike haired Keisuke emerge from his bedroom.

Mitsu smiled, "Good Mor-"

Keisuke frowned, "What?" He glanced at Satoro confused.

Mitsu raised a finger and pointed behind him, "Is that your room?" Her eyes widened, "Is there a bed somewhere in there?"

Keisuke chuckled and reached back to close the door, "Uh… I haven't had time to clean it yet." He said sheepishly.

Mitsu still looked aghast.

"Alright already! I'll clean it later! Geez."

"You better! That's just…" She shuddered then moved passed him.

Satoro looked at Keisuke as he passed and laughed.

"It's not funny." He said and followed them. He hesitated at his brother's door than knocked on it. No answer. So he pushed it open and peeked inside. The room was empty, the bed was made, "Figures." He mumbled and stepped out of the room closing the door behind him. He rushed after Satoro and Mitsu catching them at the bottom of the stairs.

"Is your brother coming?" Satoro asked.

Keisuke shook his head, "He wasn't in his room." He replied simply.

They entered the kitchen to find that coffee and tea were both made. And leaning against the counter was Ryousuke bringing a cup of steaming coffee up to his lips. He didn't look at them as they walked in.

"Good morning." They all said at the same time. Ryousuke simply nodded. He pushed himself away from the counter and casually walked out of the kitchen.

All but Keisuke watched him walk out of the room.

"Is he mad?" Satoro asked curiously.

"Hmm? Oh! Nah, he's always like this. He said something about a having lots of work to do today. He's probably in a rush." Keisuke answered going to pour himself some coffee, "Coffee or tea?" He asked glancing towards Mitsu and Satoro.

"Tea." They both replied at the same time.

Keisuke nodded and prepared two cups for them.

"Thanks." They said and the three of them sat down at the table.

Mitsu stared down at her tea. He looked tired again this morning.

"You okay?" Satoro asked nudging her softly.

"Hmm?" Mitsu looked up. Both young men were staring at her curiously, "What's up?"

"What are you thinking?" Satoro questioned still watching her as he sipped his tea.

"Nothing." She turned to Keisuke, "So what are you going to do today?" She asked smiling.

Keisuke shrugged. Suddenly a smile appeared on his face, "We could race."

Mitsu frowned, "Are you serious?"

Keisuke glanced at Satoro unsurely before turning back to her, "Yes."

Mitsu glanced between Keisuke and her best friend repeatedly. She sighed, "Do you really want to race me Keisuke-san?"

"Keisuke." The young man emphasized.

Mitsu met his gaze and blushed, "Keisuke." She said softly. The young man smiled, "Do you really want to race me?"

"Well if you're not doing anything, we could go do a few rounds." Keisuke shrugged.

"Sure, I guess." Mitsu said and sipped her drink.

Satoro frowned. Her hand was shaking lightly. He turned to Keisuke who he noticed was watching her frowning. His eyes were focused on her hands.

"Mitsu-Chan."

All three turned to the voice as Takahashi Ryousuke entered the room.

"Your Cell phone was ringing." He said simply and held out the small electronic device to her.

Mitsu accepted the phone, "Thank you, Ryousuke-san." She said and looked down at the display. She pressed a few keys and brought the phone to her ears.

Ryousuke moved into the kitchen and went to fill his cup with more coffee, then surprised Satoro by joining them at the table.

"What are you doing today Aniki?"

"I've got to work on a research paper." He answered and sipped his drink.

"You're going to study all day?"

Ryousuke shook his head, "Fumihiro and I are going to visit the next race venue."

"Should I go with you?"

"It's not necessary." Ryousuke answered simply and sipped his coffee. He glanced up at Mitsu briefly as she lowered her phone and ended the call.

The young lady turned to Satoro, "My first interested buyer. I didn't know you had already advertised it."

Satoro nodded, "You said to do it as soon as possible. Too soon?"

Mitsu shook her head, "No. It's good. Thank you." She leaned towards him so she could hug him.

Satoro gave her a light squeeze back as he looked towards Ryousuke from the corner of his eyes. The man was drinking his coffee.

"Buyer?"

Mitsu straightened in her chair, "For my car."

"You're selling your car?" Keisuke said his eyes widening, "Why?"

"I'm going to get something else."

"What?" He asked. Then his eyes widened again, "What about an RX7! You'll fit perfectly in the family!"

Ryousuke choked on his coffee. He lowered his cup and coughed lightly, "Excuse me."

Everyone eyed him in surprise.

Mitsu finally found her voice, "I think I want something less 'sporty'." She said casually, "Something average."

"Average? But that's no fun."

Satoro nodded in agreement. He had almost burst out laughing when Takahashi Ryousuke was startled by his brother's suggestion. He looked over at him now. The man was frowning down into his coffee cup. He would have given almost anything to have a glimpse of what was going on in his mind right now. Or anytime for that matter!

"I just need something to get me around Keisuke."

Keisuke sighed and relented.

Satoro turned to his best friend, "So are you going to call him back?"

Mitsu nodded and looked over at Ryousuke and Keisuke, "Would it be okay, if the guy came over to look at the car?" She asked.

Keisuke frowned, "I still don't see why you have to sell it." He mumbled.

Ryousuke finally looked up at her, "You don't have to ask for permission Mitsu-Chan. This is as much your home now as it is ours." He held her gaze several seconds longer so that she knew he meant what he said then raised his cup to his lips and finished off his coffee.

Keisuke nodded in agreement, "Can I be there when he comes though?"

Mitsu nodded, "Sure."

"Yeah, make sure no one rips her off!" Satoro said to Keisuke who nodded.

Ryousuke simply got up and moved over to the counter to pour himself his third cup of coffee that morning, "Excuse me." He said then and walked out of the kitchen.

"Does he always drink so much coffee in the morning?" Satoro asked curiously.

"Sometimes." Keisuke answered and sipped his own coffee, "Usually after he's been up all night working."

Mitsu lowered her gaze. If that was so, no wonder he looked really tired.

"How does he do all of it?"

Keisuke looked at him unsure what he meant, "What?"

"Medical school and running two teams? Not only running them but doing a large amount of research and scouting and traveling." He was amazed by him.

Keisuke shrugged, "That's all he does."

Satoro frowned, "You mean, he doesn't go out with friends or hang out or go to a movie or anything?"

"Not usually." Keisuke answered, "Well not in along time… Almost six years now…"

"Six years!"

Keisuke nodded, "Since… Uh… Since he's been going to medical school."

Mitsu looked up at him suddenly. Something about the way he answered. He was deliberately leaving some information out. She was sure of it. She raised her cup to her lips and finished her tea.

"Wow. He's so dedicated. Even Mitsu went out with us." He said glancing at her. She simply smiled and nodded. He finished the rest of his tea and Mitsu grabbed his cup along with hers and went to put it in the dishwasher, "Anyway, I should get going." He got to his feet and looked over at Keisuke with a smile, "I'm coming back to visit Mitsu on Friday, maybe you and I could go out and play a game of Billiards somewhere?"

Keisuke smiled, "Of course. You'll be staying with us of course?"

"I was going to rent a room at a near by hotel."

"Don't so that. Just stay over. There's plenty of room. Besides, Mitsu would probably like it better if you were here too, right?" He asked turning to the girl.

Mitsu smiled, "As long as it's okay with your family."

"You hear Ryousuke. This is as much your home as it is ours. Any guest of yours is welcomed."

Mitsu smiled, "Thank you, Keisuke."

He nodded, "So, we'll see you on Friday!" he held out his hand.

Satoro nodded and grasped it.

Mitsu watched as the two men shook hands. She smiled. They were getting along so well. She was glad.

Keisuke followed them to the door then stayed behind as Mitsu went out with Satoro to his car.

"Well, beautiful. You take care okay? Phone me if you want to talk. Anytime, no matter how late or early!"

Mitsu nodded and went to wrap her arms around him, "Drive safe, okay?"

"I will." He said and squeezed her firmly. When they pulled apart he smiled, "I'll see you Friday."

Mitsu nodded and took a step back as he climbed into his car and started the engine. He waved to her and put his car into reverse. She waved back at him and watched as he drove down the long driver and turned onto the main road. She sighed heavily and started back towards the house. Once inside, she removed her shoes and went back to the kitchen o get her cell phone which she had left on the table.

Ryousuke turned to look who had entered then went back to pouring the coffee.

"You've had a lot of coffee today Ryousuke-san." She pointed out casualy.

He nodded simply and turned to look at her as she moved to the table to pick up her cell phone.

"You look tired." She said meeting his eyes.

He shrugged and sipped the hot liquid, "I should get back to work." He started for the exit.

Mitsu watched him leave then turned to her cell phone to call back the interested buyer.

* * *

Ryousuke looked up from his laptop when he heard the doorbell. He could hear Mitsu's bedroom door open and Keisuke's voice as he joined her in the hallway. Then came the knock at his door. He sighed.

"Come in."

Keisuke pushed open the door, "Aniki, do you want to come out and see the guy coming to look at Mitsu's car?"

He shook his head, "No, I've got work to do."

"Okay. I'll come and tell you about it after." He said and darted out of the room.

"Keisuke."

The young Takahashi peeked back in the room, "Hmm?"

"The door."

Keisuke laughed lightly, "Oops, sorry." He said reaching in to pull the door shut after him.

Ryousuke turned back to his laptop and stared at it. He re-read the last line he had written and couldn't remember what else he had wanted to say. He glanced at the patio doors. He frowned and gave in to his curiousity. Walking to the patio doors he pulled it open softly and stood by the door listening.

Mitsu pulled open the door, "Hello." She said politely.

* * *

"Hi, I'm Kitamura Eiji, I phoned about the SW20."

Mitsu nodded, "Fukotomi Mitsu," She said offering him her hand which he shook politely. She turned as Keisuke appeared behind her, "And this is Takahashi Keisuke. Keisuke, This is Kitamura Eiji." She introduced.

She knew the man recognized the name by the slight widening of his eyes as the two of them shook hands. She smiled, Kitamura Eiji looked stunned, "Well the car is at the side of the house." She said as she slipped on her shoes. Keisuke did the same and the three of them walked to the side of the house.

"Wow." Kitamura said as they reached the cars. His eyes roamed over the two Mazdas and they widened even more, "Those… Those are… Wow!" Was all he could say for a moment. His eyes rested on the Snow white SW20 and he slowly approached the car, "Wow…" he said again as he circled it, "Those are really the Takahashi Brothers' car?"

Mitsu and Keisuke nodded.

"And this… Is this really the Tokyo Phantom?" He asked turning to look at them again. They both nodded.

"How, did you get a hold of it?" He asked softly as he peeked inside through the window.

Mitsu turned off the alarm and unlocked the doors for him, "You can open it. I own it." She said as the man pulled open the door.

He looked up at her confused, "But I thought, this car was the Tokyo Phantom…"

"It is." Keisuke said walking over to him, "And she's the driver."

The man's eyes widened again. He looked between the two of them.

"You… you are the Tokyo Phantom?"

Mitsu nodded.

"What are you doing in Takasaki?" He asked confused.

"My family moved here." She answered a little quieter this time.

"And why would you sell this car!?!?"

"I'm retiring."

The man looked up at her shocked, "Retiring?" He repeated to himself. He turned to the car again. He stepped inside and settled in the snug Bride black and gray reclinable bucket seat on the driver's side. He looked under the dash at the silver racing peddles adorned with black rubber. She had a short shifter kit installed along with an oil pressure gauge and a water temperature gauge. He reached under the dash and popped the hood. He climbed out of the car and went to open up the hood. He smiled, "So this is what the Tokyo Phantom has…"

Mitsu and Keisuke went to stand by him.

"You've put a lot of work and money in this car." Kitamura Eiji said glancing at Mitsu, "It must be hard parting with it."

Mitsu just stared at her car.

"I still think she should keep it." Keisuke said shrugging. He looked over at Mitsu and placed his arm around her shoulder, "But then again, if she gets an FD like mine it won't be so bad."

Mitsu looked up at him and she smiled when he winked at her. She rolled her eyes, "If I did, it definitely wouldn't be yellow."

"What's wrong with yellow?" He said pretending tobe hurt.

Mitsu punched him playfully and he laughed.

Kitamura watched them curiously, "Could I turn it on?"

Mitsu nodded and passed him the keys. She watched as the man went back into her car and started the engine. He revved it a few times.

Moments later he turned it off and stepped out and handed her back the keys. His eyes were glowing, "How much are you looking for it?" He asked.

"Well, there's not really a price." She reached into her pocket, "What I'm asking is that you write down an offer and the reason why you're interested in the car. I'll choose someone by the end of the week." She said and pulled out a small piece of paper and a pen. She saw the man's surprise.

"That's a strange way of selling a car, but I'm definitely interested." He took the pen and paper and started filling it out, "Do you mind if I ask why you're retiring? I mean the Tokyo Phantom is undefeated and there's so many people out there waiting to challenge you."

Mitsu tired to smile casually, "Moving on to different things." She answered softly.

Kitamura Eiji passed her back the paper and pen. He looked over the car again.

"It's got new cross-drilled rotors with new 'Endless' performance brake pads. I've hardly used the car since I had them installed so they're still brand new."

The man nodded and he smiled, "Well I hope to hear from you. I'd be honored to own The famous SW20 of the Tokyo Phantom."

Mitsu just smiled lightly

"Well thank you." Kitamura Eiji said offering his hand. Mitsu grasped it and shook it. Keisuke did the same and the two of them accompanied the man back to his car and watched as he drove away.

Mitsu turned and walked back into the house. Keisuke followed her, "So, did you decide on all the modifications or did Satoro help you?"

"Satoro and this mechanic that works on his car." Mitsu answered. She unfolded the piece of paper.

Keisuke leaned over to look also, "Not bad. What's his reason?"

"He wants to use it for racing."

Keisuke looked at her carefully, "You okay with that?"

"It doesn't matter. It was modified for racing…" She said and sighed, "I should get back to doing my homework." She said turning to him, "What are you going to do?"

"I thought you were going to have a race with me?"

"Oh, yeah…" She folded the piece of paper again, "When do you want to go?"

Keisuke frowned, "It's okay Mitsu-Chan." He said seeing the strange look in her eyes, "We don't have to race. It was just an idea if you were bored. But you've got homework to do, so maybe another time." He smiled when she turned to look at him, "Hey, I need to go talk to my brother. See you later okay?" And with that said he rushed back up the stairs.

Mitsu watched him confused. He was really odd sometimes.

* * *

"Come in."

Keisuke pushed open the door and stepped inside. He shut the door softly and went to sit on his brother's bed, "The guy was shocked to see that Mitsu was the Tokyo Phantom." He laughed lightly.

"Hmm."

"He was shocked to see our cars too."

"So I gathered."

Keisuke stared at his brother's back. H turned t see the open balcony doors, "You were listening?"

Ryousuke shrugged casually and continued to type away on his laptop, "So what are you doing today Keisuke?"

His brother sighed, "Well I did ask Mitsu if she wanted to have a friendly race, but she seemed really uncomfortable about it. So, that idea was trashed. Maybe I'll call up some friends and see that they're up to."

"Don't you have any homework to do?"

Keisuke groaned and his brother turned to meet his gaze, "You should take your studies more seriously, Keisuke."

The younger brother groaned, "But it's so boring!" He whined.

"And you think I enjoy studying and doing papers?"

Keisuke looked at him surprised.

Ryousuke couldn't help but allow a small smile to appear on his face, "Despite what you think Keisuke, there are other things I rather do than study and write papers!" He glanced at the books on his desk, "But it has to be done."

Keisuke sighed, "I guess." He got to his feet, "Can I come and do them here? I hate studying alone."

Ryousuke nodded and turned his attention back to his laptop and started typing again as his younger brother left his room. He returned moments later with a few books in his arms. He went to his brother's bed and laid down spreading his books about him.

"Wouldn't you rather come study at the table, Keisuke?"

"Nah. My butt goes numb sitting there for so long." He replied opening one of his books.

Ryousuke glanced at him. He shook his head hopelessly and turned his attention back to his work.

A little over an hour later, Keisuke groaned and slammed his book shut, "I'm done Aniki."

"Ah." Ryousuke said reading through one of his books, "What do you plan on doing now?"

"I'm going to call some of my friends." He collected his books into a pile and picked them up as he rolled off the bed and walked over to his brother. He looked over the intricate diagrams and pictures of who knows what. He frowned, "Aniki? What is that?"

"That's a Papillomavirus. The other one is an Adenovirus." Ryousuke answered glancing at the picture his brother was pointing at in disgust.

"They sound and look really dangerous."

Ryousuke shrugged, "The first one gives you warts and the second one causes pink eye. Both very treatable."

"They're still gross looking. I don't see how any of this good be interesting." He looked at his brother curiously.

"It's not that it's interesting, it's what you can do to help ill people get better." Ryousuke said shrugging.

Keisuke sighed, "Okay. Well, I'm gonna go now. See you later Aniki."

"Ah." He glanced up briefly as Keisuke stepped out of his room and shut the door softly behind him. He glanced behind him at the clock on his night table. He had about an hour left to work on his paper and then he would head over to Fumihiro's place.

* * *

Keisuke pushed open Mitsu's bedroom door after she bid him to come in, "Mitsu-Chan, My friends and I are going to go see a movie. Do you want to come?"

The young lady smiled lightly and she motioned towards the books on her desk, "Next time?"

Keisuke frowned, "You're just like Ryousuke! Okay, well maybe next time. See you later." He said giving her a quick wave before leaving her alone again.

Mitsu stared at the closed the door. Just like Ryousuke-san? How could he say that? They were completely different in every way possible. He was so serious and uptight, she wasn't. He never smiled or laughed, he never seemed to enjoy himself. She wasn't like that. Not at all. She looked at the book in front of her. It was time to get back to work. She sighed and delved back into her homework. Several hours later she heard a knock at her door. Ryousuke? Who else could it be? She called for the person to come in. She watched as indeed Takahashi Ryousuke stepped just inside her door, "Fumihiro and I are going to film the next race course. Would you like to join us?" He asked casually.

Mitsu tilted her head to the side in surprise, "Really?"

Ryousuke nodded unfazed by her reply.

"I… I would really like to. But…" She motioned towards the books on her desk with a sigh, "I have a biochemistry exam tomorrow…"

"I see. Well study hard. I will see you tomorrow morning then." He bowed slightly and backed out of the room, shutting the door behind him.

Mitsu sighed and turned back to her book.

* * *

"Overall it seems to be a nice course. The road seems pretty smooth." Fumihiro said as he drove down Mount Yahiko.

"Aa." He glanced out his window, "Yahiko is a volcano. They'll have to be careful of the loose rocks at the side of the road."

"Hmm. That's right." Fumihiro said also glancing out his side window. When he turned back to look in front of him he saw a car coming up the mountain, "If we're lucky maybe that'll be someone from The Kamikaze Racers."

Ryousuke's eyes zeroed onto the oncoming car. It's headlights came closer, "An FC."

Fumihiro turned to him, "FC?" He repeated as the car was close enough to see. And sure enough, it was a bright red FC, "Any team stickers on it?" He asked as they passed the car.

A split second before the red FC aligned itself with them, it's driver's eyes met Takahashi Ryousuke's.

"Hai. It was indeed someone from the Kamikaze Racers." Ryousuke said casually. He then turned to stare out the side window. It couldn't be... But the look of recognition he had seen when their eyes had met... Those eyes...

"An FC…" Fumihiro repeated again softly. He glanced at Ryousuke, "If the FC races who are you going to put against it?"

He waited for an answer but when none came he glanced over at the young man. Takahashi Ryousuke was staring blankly out the window.

Fumihiro turned his attention back to the road. Was Ryousuke worried about the FC?

* * *

Author's Note:

Thanks for the all the feedback!

Thanks GT4SilverShadow!

Cheers,

CelicaChick


	11. Chapter 11: Masuko Roku

**Chapter 11- Masuko Roku**

"Good night Ryousuke."

Ryousuke gave Fumihiro a quick wave, "Bye." He pulled open his car door and slipped inside to turn on the engine. He briefly relished in the sound before putting the RX7 into gear and pulled out of the driveway. He couldn't go home yet. No, he would feel caged.

Tormented.

Confused.

There was only one place to go…

o .o. o

It was a little past six am when Mitsu heard the FC come to a stop at the side of the house. She crawled out of her bed and walked over to her window. Pulling aside the curtain a little, she watched as Ryousuke stepped out of his car and started for the house. She let the corner of the curtain fall back into place and stood silently waiting and listening to the sound of his footsteps as they reached the top of the stairs and headed towards his room. She shook her head and walked out of her room and went to his. The door was partially opened so she pushed it open and stepped inside, "Do you want me to drive?" She said watching him curiously.

Ryousuke glanced back at her, "That won't be necessary."

Something felt different.

Mitsu frowned as he continued to pack his school bag, "Are you sure? I don't mind."

"I'm sure."

Mitsu sighed and turned to leave his room. She went back to hers to quickly prepare her things and get dressed. She heard Ryousuke leave his room and head back downstairs. She shook her head again and gathered her cosmetic bag before heading to the bathroom. She emerged several minutes later with her hair up in a ponytail and her mouth tasting minty fresh. She dumped her cosmetic back on her bed and grabbed her jacket and school bag before heading downstairs to the kitchen. She froze mid-stride when she saw him. Something was definitely wrong. He had a faraway look in his eyes and he wasn't even aware that she had entered the room. She continued to watch him worried. Something was really bothering him. She had never seen emotion written so clearly on his face. So clear and obvious, anyone could tell he was distracted and unhappy. She cleared her throat and entered the kitchen.

His eyes snapped up towards her and it all vanished. Just like that. In a blink of an eye, the man she had seen a second ago had completely vanished.

"How was the trip to Yahiko?"

Ryousuke raised his cup of coffee to his lips and finished the remainder of the drink, "It's time to go." He said and walked out of the kitchen.

Mitsu watched him leave. What had happened to him? He was fine yesterday… She finished her coffee and grabbed her things before rushing after him. She was going to find out what was wrong with him. Whether he liked it or not!

She slipped on her shoes and stepped out of the house. Reaching into her bag she found the house keys that Emi had given her and locked the door. Around to the side of the house, the white FC had already been started and was idling patiently. She went to the passenger side and pulled open the door to slide into the black bucket seat. She placed her bag down at her feet and started to strap on the safety harness. She stole a side-glance at Ryousuke as she did so. He was staring at the steering wheel, obviously thinking about something.

"I'm ready." She said casually as she turned to him.

Ryousuke glanced at her and nodded. He pulled down the e-brake and placed the car in reverse. He drove in silence as usual. But this time, whenever Mitsu looked at him from the corner of her eyes, she could see his grip on the steering wheel or the stick repeatedly tighten and loosen.

"Ryousuke-san, can I ask you a question?" Mitsu asked turning to him.

He nodded simply and his grip adjusted on the steering wheel again.

"Did something happen last night?"

"No." The answer was casual and curt as he continued to stare at the road.

"Okay." What else could she say? She wasn't about to tell him that she didn't believe his answer. She glanced out the window at the passing scenery, "Ryousuke-san?"

"Hmm?"

"If you ever want to talk to someone, I'm here." She offered casually. Sincerely.

"That won't be necessary."

Mitsu frowned. If anyone else had said that to her, she would have though they were a cold-hearted person. But it was Ryousuke-san. He might seem like his heart was made of ice, but she knew differently. He felt a lot. He felt with his whole heart, he just didn't let anyone see that side of him. She glanced at him again and wondered why. Mitsu turned to look out her window but periodically glanced at her driver. He never seemed to notice. Each time, he seemed to be completely overwhelmed with his own thoughts. She didn't say anything else to him for the rest of the ride, but she kept a steady watch on him. Something was wrong and she wanted to know what. Especially if there was a way for her to help him. She owed him that much…

o .o. o

Ryousuke pulled into an empty parking spot and turned off the car. Both, Mitsu and himself un-strapped themselves from the safety harnesses and climbed out of the car. He turned on the alarm and followed Fukotomi Mitsu silently to her first class. When they reached the lecture hall, Ryousuke nodded and turned about to leave.

"Ryousuke-san?"

He turned to her.

"Are you going to join me for lunch?" She asked casually.

The man before her stared at her blankly a moment, "If you don't mind, there was some research I wanted to do today."

Mitsu gave him a smile, "Of course not. I will see you after classes then." She raised her hand in salute and turned to enter her class.

Ryousuke watched her go to one of the seats, then he turned to go to his own class.

o .o. o

At eleven thirty, the three friends settled at their usual table in the cafeteria.

"Genjo, where's Ryousuke?" the tallest of the three asked as he pulled his lunch out of his bag.

"He said he had to do some research." Amori Genjo who was slightly shorter and chubbier than his two other friends answered shrugging.

The third person in their group sat down and looked about the cafeteria at the people milling about. Compared to his two companions, he was the one who most closely matched Takahashi Ryousuke's personality. He was more introverted and serious.

"Hey, Etsuya what are you looking at?" Genjo asked curiously.

Arishima Isamu also looked up from his lunch.

Uetake Etsuya nodded to a young lady sitting outside under a tree.

"Isn't that Ryousuke-kun's girl?" Genjo said frowning.

"Yeah, and it looks like she has some unwanted company." Isamu added as he turned to Etsuya. Their friend had pulled out his cell phone and was dialing a number, "Who are you calling?"

"Ryousuke." The young man replied simply as he turned to look out the window at the girl and her unwanted visitor.

"We should go help her in the meantime." Genjo said as he started to pack his school bag again.

Isamu agreed and began to do the same.

o .o. o

Mitsu sat down under the same tree and pulled out her laptop. She immediately opened her Internet browser and started doing some research. She was browsing through a multitude of websites when she felt someone approach her. She looked up and her eyes widened slightly.

"Well, well, well, we meet again." He looked about, "And where is Takahashi Ryousuke this afternoon?"

"He'll be right back." Mitsu said casually. She met his gaze.

The man smiled and lowered his backpack from his shoulders and sat down beside her, "I didn't get time to introduce myself the last time. I'm Deushi Jiro and you Fukotomi Mitsu right?"

Mitsu nodded simply, "I think you should go Jiro-san. Ryousuke-san will be back any minute." She said and moved away from him.

"Well, I'll just wait with you until he gets back." He said smiling as he moved towards her again and placed hand on her arm.

Mitsu brushed his hand off but he persisted, "Don't touch me."

"Don't worry, Takahashi won't know."

"Really?" Another male voice asked.

Jiro and Mitsu both turned to the voice to see three men standing in front of them. They stood close together with their school bags hanging on their shoulders. They all wore looks that showed they meant business.

The tallest of the three turned to his friends, "I don't think Ryousuke-kun, would appreciate this guy touching his girl, what do you think guys?" He asked casually.

The other two shook their heads in disproval.

Mitsu's eyes widened at their words and Jiro just frowned, "No one asked your opinions. Why don't you guys mind your own business."

o .o. o

Ryousuke's phone vibrated on the table top beside his school bag. He glanced at it for a split second then ignored it and continued to flip through the magazine in front him. It stopped a moment then started to rattle on the tabletop again. He shut his eyes briefly feeling a little annoyed then reached out to take hold of his phone. It was his classmate. He flipped it open, "Hello." He said softly as he glanced around, making sure no one was being disturbed. His eyes narrowed as he continued to listen to the caller "I'll be right there." He said ending the call and grabbing his bag off the table before making a quick exit out of the library. He rushed to the open are adorned with a few old trees just outside the main cafeteria. His pace slowed as he saw them. His friends were all standing on either side of Mitsu. He approached the man they were confronting from behind, "Is there a problem?" He asked sternly.

The man swiveled around in surprise.

Etsuya, Genjo and Isamu all smiled at Jiro's reaction.

"Takahashi Ryousuke." He said smirking when he got over the surprise, "Look, she's not your girl so you and your friends can mind your own business."

Ryousuke stepped towards him, crossing his arms about his chest as he did so, "She is my responsibility, that makes it my business."

Mitsu noticed the cold intense look in the Ryousuke's eyes. She shifted nervously. She then stiffened when the three guys beside her also stepped forward towards Jiro. She hoped they wouldn't start anything.

"She's responsible for herself." Jiro said also crossing his arms at his chest seemingly unfazed by the presence of the three young men behind him.

"She is part of my family that makes her my responsibility. Stay away from her."

The man was startled by Ryousuke's revelation, as was the three friends and Mitsu.

She couldn't believe that he was claiming that she was part of his family! She looked at him and as expected his expression remained the same: Blank. She turned to look at Jiro who had his back to her. He was speechless at the moment and she assumed he was as much in shock as the rest of them. He took a step back.

"Mitsu-chan."

Her eyes darted back towards Ryousuke. His gaze was still glued to Jiro.

"Grab your things." He continued without removing his cold gaze away from the man currently in his line of sight.

She moved on stiff legs around the men to the tree trunk where her laptop and her back lay on the grass.

"I don't want to see or hear that you've been neat her. Do you understand?"

Jiro frowned, "You're a crazy freak Takahashi Ryousuke! A freak!" He exclaimed before he turned about and briskly walked away.

Mitsu glanced up as she packed her laptop. Ryousuke had gone to his friends and was listening to their account of what has been happening before he had arrived. She got to her feet and stood silently watching them. One by one they turned to look at her. Ryousuke was the last to turn his gaze onto her.

"Mitsu-chan, these are my friends, Amori Genjo, Arishima Isamu, and Uetake Etsuya. Gentlemen this is Fukotomi Mitsu."

"Nice to meet you!" They all said taking turns to shake her hands and bow their heads to her in respect.

"You should join us for lunch." Isamu suggested looking at his friends for their approval of which Genjo and Etsuya nodded enthusiastically. His eyes landed on Ryousuke and found him staring off in the distance. He quickly turned to Mitsu to find her watching his friend worriedly. The other two had noticed too.

"What do you think Ryousuke-kun?" Etsuya asked casually.

"Aa. Sure. Let's go." He said turning to his friends and Mitsu.

"Great." Isamu said smiling, "Let's go."

"Why don't we just stay out here?" Etsuya suggested.

"Yeah, it's nice out." Genjo agreed lowering his bag from his shoulder.

Isamu shrugged and also lowered his bag. He turned to Mitsu with a smile and settled himself on the grass. Mitsu and the others followed his example.

"So what do you study Mitsu-Chan?" Isamu asked as he opened his bag and pulled out his lunch.

"Medicine. You?"

"Really?!?!?" He said surprised as he glanced at the others to find that Genjo and Etsuya were reacting much like he was. He turned back to look at her. There was such a pretty girl studying medicine!

"So what year are you in?" Genjo asked curiously.

"Third year." She answered as she also opened her bad to pull out her lunch.

"You're just one year behind us." Etsuya said simply.

Mitsu looked at all of them, "So… You're all studying medicine?"

They all nodded.

"And you're all in your last year?"

They nodded again.

"Yeah, we've been friends since our first year." Isamu informed her proudly.

She smiled. So Ryousuke had friends after all. She glanced at him for a split second before opening her juice.

Etsuya, Genjo and Isamu exchanged curious looks. They turned to look at their quiet friend who was staring blankly at the grass.

"Hey, are you okay Ryousuke-kun? You seem a little… Distracted today." Isamu worded carefully.

"Aa. I didn't get much sleep last night." He answered shrugging.

Mitsu smirked, "If any." She said softly.

Ryousuke's eyes darted in her direction and she lowered her gaze to her juice box. She had seen enough of his look to know that he was warning her to mind her own business. She raised the drink box to her lips.

"Up studying all night again?" Genjo said with a sigh, "We all know how that feels."

Isamu nodded and Etsuya continued to study Ryousuke curiously. He had never seen his friend use that cold stare of on a girl before. Interesting. He turned to look at Mitsu-Chan who was casually drinking her juice. She turned to Isamu as he began speaking to her. She laughed. Etsuya turned to Ryousuke again. His friend had resumed staring at the ground. They sure had an interesting relationship.

Ryousuke finally removed his bag from his shoulders and took out his laptop. He should get some work done, he wouldn't have that much time later tonight. He pulled out the hand written notes from his folder and started inputting them into the computer. He vaguely listened to the conversation going on around him. Etsuya and Genjo were talking about their microbiology paper, while Mitsu and Isamu were talking about… He glanced up at them. What were they talking about? They were talking in a softer tone and both were smiling. He lowered his gaze back to his laptop and opened his Internet browser. He typed in the familiar name and started a search.

Etsuya motioned for Genjo to look over at Ryousuke. They both turned to him and noticed the manual notes on the grass while he stared intently at something on his laptop.

"What's so interesting?" Genjo asked leaning over to peak at Ryousuke's screen, "Masuko Roku? Is he one of your favourite racers or something?"

"Masuko Roku?" Mitsu repeated turning her attention to them at the familiar name.

All eyes rested on her.

"Yeah…" Genjo looked at her curiously, "Don't tell me you're a racing fan too."

Mitsu simply smiled.

"She's not just a fan. She races." Ryousuke said as he continued to surf the multitude of websites.

"You race too!" Isamu exclaimed shocked.

"I used to race." She corrected politely.

"That's why she's trying to challenge me." Ryousuke added casually without looking up.

"Not trying. I did. And you are going to race me Takahashi Ryousuke!" She said sternly.

Ryousuke just shrugged, "I'm retired." He said simply.

"Well you're going to come out of retirement for half an hour."

"Highly doubtful." The answer came back.

Mitsu's jaw clenched. There was no way that he was going to brush off her challenge! She would get him to race her one way or another!

Genjo, Isamu and Etsuya looked between the two of them curiously.

"We'll see about that." Mitsu retorted and turned to look away.

Ryousuke ignored her.

Genjo glanced at his two other friends. They shrugged.

"So is this Masuko Roku really good?"

"Hardly!" Mitsu replied turning to Genjo, "He's usually one of the last people from the pole position."

"Pole position?" Isamu repeated confused.

"It's the first person at the start line." She explained.

"So that's your favourite racer?" Isamu asked frowning.

Ryousuke simply shook his head and continued to look at the information on the website he was currently visiting.

"Why are you looking him up then? Do you know him or something?" Genjo asked leaning over to look at the screen again.

"We've met a long time ago."

That surprised everyone.

"So you're friends." Genjo concluded but Ryousuke shook his head again.

"No." He said simply.

"Ryousuke-kun is as outspoken as usual." Isamu said shaking his head. He glanced at Mitsu, "Don't you agree?"

The young lady glanced at the man in question and shrugged.

The small motion caused the three friends to laugh.

"For someone that was trying to provoke him just now, you're being very

un-confrontational now!" Genjo exclaimed smiling.

Mitsu shrugged and sipped her juice again. Masuko Roku… How did Ryousuke know him? She wondered quietly as the conversation around her picked up again. She stole another look in his direction through her lowered lashes. He was still completely absorbed with the information on his laptop.

o .o. o

Later that afternoon.

"You're finally back! Tsugumi's been bugging me!" Keisuke exclaimed walking into the foyer followed by a smiling young girl.

Her eyes immediately fixed on Fukotomi Mitsu as she stepped into the house behind Ryousuke. She smiled and walked right up to her.

"Hi, I'm Takahashi Tsugumi." She introduced extending out her hand.

Mitsu was a little surprised, "Um, hi. I'm Fukotomi Mitsu." She shook the girls hand.

"I know. I've been waiting to meet you." She said as she looked the young lady up and down.

Mitsu glanced at Keisuke and Ryousuke unsurely.

Keisuke laughed, "She's our little cousin. She stays during the week sometimes when her parents are away."

"Oh." She met the girls eyes and smiled lightly.

"There. You've met her now. Happy?" Keisuke asked annoyed.

Tsugumi nodded and glanced at her other cousin, "Ryousuke-kun." She said giving him a wider smile. She frowned when she finally got the chance to observe his face, "You look tired."

"Hai. I feel tired."

"You should go get some rest." She continued.

"Aa. I'm just going to do that now." He said as he moved into the house and patted her head, "It's good to see you." He said and walked away.

The small gesture brought the smile back to the young girls face temporarily. When he had gone up the stairs she turned to Keisuke, "Did something happen?"

Keisuke shrugged and also went up the stairs.

Tsugumi sighed and turned to Mitsu. She rolled her eyes, "Boys are so annoying!"

Mitsu smiled.

"So… Do you like living here?" She asked curiously.

"It's nice. The Takahashi's are very good people." Mitsu said as she removed her shoes.

"Well except for Keisuke!" She joked.

Mitsu glanced at her unsurely, but smiled when she saw the twinkle in the girl's eyes.

o .o. o

Ryousuke pushed open his door and went straight to his bed. He dropped his school bag down beside it and flopped down on the mattress, exhausted. Flashes of last night's red FC's driver appeared in his mind. He pushed himself to a sitting position and lightly shook his head. Reaching down, he pulled his laptop from his bag and opened his Internet browser. Once again he looked up Masuko Roku. He was going to find out everything about him. It was only when Keisuke knocked on his door and entered that he tore his tired eyes away from the screen.

"Ready?" His younger brother asked walking over to him.

Ryousuke nodded and turned off is laptop. He went to place it on his desk and grabbed his keys, "Let's go." They walked past Mitsu's door.

"Hold on Aniki. Mitsu might want to come." Keisuke said as he knocked on the girl's door.

Ryousuke controlled his urge to groan, "I'll be outside."

Keisuke nodded and pushed open the door as Mitsu called him to enter. His brother turned and continued down the hall. He stepped in the room, "Hey Mitsu, we're going to Akagi, do you want to come?"

"Umm. Are you guys just practicing?"

Keisuke nodded, "The Redsuns have a race tomorrow."

"I'll pass today then. But I will definitely like to go tomorrow."

"Okay. Well see you later then!" He gave her a quick wave and turned to exit the room.

"Hey Keisuke-kun?" She stopped him.

"Hmm?"

"Do you know Masuko Roku?" She saw Keisuke's eyes widen slightly.

"Ah, yeah. Sort of. Why?" He studied her unsurely, "He's a professional driver."

"I know. I mean, do you know him, as in met him?"

Keisuke frowned, "Not really. Why?"

"Ryousuke-san said he met him a while back. I was just wondering if you had met him before too."

Keisuke shook his head again, "I haven't. But I definitely would like to."

One of Mitsu's brows raised in curiousity. There was a slight edge in Keisuke's voice. She was sure of it, "Why? He's not really that good of a driver."

Keisuke chuckled, "You got that right!" Then he became serious again, "I don't like him at all. I want to meet him, challenge him and run him completely into the ground."

Mitsu was speechless. There was a definite edge and some hostility in his voice now. She wasn't sure if she should push him for more information.

"If you meet him, stay away from him, Mitsu-chan. He's bad news." Keisuke warned as he stared directly at her.

Mitsu could only nod.

"If you see him, please tell me." He glanced over his shoulder and stepped back to peek outside in the hallway before turning to look at Mitsu again, "And don't tell Ryousuke." He saw curiousity appear on her face again, "Just trust me on this one. It's better that he doesn't know."

She debated telling him that his brother was researching Masuko.

"Mitsu-Chan?"

"Hmm?"

"If you ever see him, don't tell him okay?" He repeated.

Mitsu nodded, "Will you tell me why?"

Keisuke sighed, "I don't want him to be hurt." He said softly. Then his eyes met hers again, "Promise me."

His voice had become extremely stern and almost demanding.

"I promise Keisuke-kun." She said meeting his steady gaze.

He relaxed then, "Thank you. I should go now. He's going to lecture me for being late."

Mitsu nodded and watched as he returned the gesture before leaving her room. She turned to her laptop and opened her Internet browser. In the search bar she typed: Takahashi Ryousuke and Masuko Roku".

No sites were found that contained the two names together. A list of other sites containing either one or the other appeared instead. She clicked on the first one. Maybe she could find something common between the two of them.

o .o. o

Author's Notes:

Lot's of new people... Wasn't sure how much I should delve into their characters. Oh well, we'll see!

A slow chapter, I know. But I needed to set something up!

Hope people are still enjoying the story!

Cheers and thanks for checking otu the story!

CelicaChick.


	12. Chapter 12: TsugumiChan

**Chapter 12 - Tsugumi-Chan**

"Hey guys! I made you some tea." Tsugumi said as she stood in the foyer watching her older cousin and Mitsu enter the house.

Ryousuke nodded, "I'll be back." He said and moved to go up the stairs.

She turned to Mitsu who gave her a smile.

"That was really nice of you."

Tsugumi shrugged, "I knew you two would probably like something refreshing to drink when you got back." She was smiling, "Come." She said and walked towards the kitchen.

Mitsu slipped off her shoes and followed the girl into the kitchen where she was pouring the tea into three cups she had already laid out on the counter.

"Where's Keisuke? He left you here alone?"

"He went to see a friend. I don't mind." The young girl carried a mug to the table where Mitsu had settled herself and placed it in front of her.

"Thank you."

"Hmm… You're welcome." She moved to get the remaining two mugs and placed them on the table before taking a seat across from Mitsu, "So… I was watching you and Ryousuke from the window." She said casually as she brought her mug of tea to her lips. She sipped the hot liquid without removing her eyes from Mitsu.

Surprise was written on her face.

"Tsugumi, it's not polite to spy on people." Ryousuke said as he casually strolled into the kitchen.

Mitsu and the young girl both looked at him as he came to the table and sat down in front of the mug that awaited him between Mitsu and his cousin.

"I wasn't spying, Ryousuke. I was just checking to see if it was you or Keisuke that was coming home." Tsugumi said rolling her eyes.

"You roll your eyes too much."

"You're too serious."

Ryousuke lowered the mug to the table and looked at his little cousin, "Have you started your homework?"

Tsugumi frowned.

"Finish your tea, and we'll go study."

"Yes sir!" She said and saluted him playfully. She tuned to Mitsu with an amused smile, "Are you going to join us?"

She started to shake her head.

"What?!?! You have to join us. It's a lot more bearable to study when you have other people studying with you!" Tsugumi exclaimed, "Join us!" She saw Mitsu hesitate so she turned to her cousin, "Ryousuke, tell her to join us!"

Ryousuke brought the cup of tea to his lips.

"Come on Ryousuke! She'll join us if you ask her!"

The said cousin choked on his tea. Mitsu was immediately out of her seat and patting his back. Tsugumi watched with interest.

"I'm fine." Ryousuke said catching his breath. He took a quick glance at her as she got back into her seat, "Thank you."

Mitsu gave him a light smile and turned to drink her tea with lowered eyes.

"Please come study with us Mitsu-chan." Tsugumi asked again, deciding that her cousin wasn't going to ask her. She watched as the young lady remained silent. She glanced at Ryousuke. He too was staring down at his tea. So that was it, "You don't mind do you Ryousuke-kun?"

"No." The man said casually before finishing the rest of his drink and getting to his feet so that he could place his mug in the dishwasher.

Tsugumi smiled and turned to Mitsu again, "See. Come study with us! I want to have another girl around!"

Mitsu had to smile at that. Lately, she had been feeling completely surrounded by guys. She was feeling like she was a stranger in a completely foreign land, "Okay."

"Great!" She exclaimed happily, "I'll go get my books." She said getting to her feet.

"Tsugumi, would you mind grabbing my school bag as well?"

"Sure Ryousuke-kun." She said and disappeared.

Takahashi Ryousuke and Fukotomi Mitsu sat silently drinking their tea. They were still sitting silently when Tsugumi returned with two bags and took her seat at the table. She glanced at them curiously as she handed her cousin his bag.

"Thank you." He said simply and placed it down on the floor beside his chair.

"You're just as quiet at Ryousuke." Tsugumi mentioned as she met Mitsu's eyes.

Mitsu laughed lightly, "I don't think I could ever be as quiet as him." She said softly.

Tsugumi's eyebrow perked up with interest. She turned to see her cousin's reaction. Nothing.

Suddenly a phone started to ring.

"That's mine." Mitsu said reaching into her bag to pull out her cell phone, "Hello, this Fukotomi Mitsu." She answered politely when she saw the unknown number on her call display. She became serious, "Yes, it's still available. There is an application to fill out if you are interested and then I'll decide to whom I'll sell it to… Yes. Sure." She recited the address of the Takahashi residence then ended the call.

"Is someone coming over?" Tsugumi asked when Mitsu placed her cell phone on the tabletop.

She nodded, "To see my car."

"Your car? That little white one outside? You're selling it? Why?"

Ryousuke frowned at his cousin's quick string of questions but said nothing.

"I'm looking for something different." She shrugged and finished her tea.

"There's more in the pot if you want." Tsugumi said, "I don't see why you would want something different. Your car is so cute."

Ryousuke had to check himself from shaking his head at his cousin's choice of words to describe the SW20. He stared down at his tea. She wasn't the only one to describe cars in that matter. The red FC he had seen at Yahiko flashed in his mind. The driver's eyes meeting his…

"Ryousuke?"

The young man blinked and raised his head. Both young ladies were looking at him.

"Are you okay?" His cousin asked carefully.

"Of course. Now start you're homework." He said before raising his cup to his lips and finishing the rest of his tea. He pushed out his chair, "Would you like more tea Mitsu-chan?" He asked as he got up.

"Sure, thank you." She said passing him her cup. He took it and went to the counter where he refilled both of their cups. He carried them to the table and set hers in front of her before going to his chair and settling down again. He looked at his cousin who had her books open on the table but was watching him and Mitsu, "Well?"

Tsugumi blinked and turned to her books. . The courteous manner in which her cousin addressed Mitsu had not eluded her attention. Interesting.

Satisfied he turned to Mitsu, "What time is the interested buyer coming?"

"He said he'd be here in an hour or so." She answered casually.

Ryousuke nodded and sipped his tea. He glanced at Mitsu when he saw her move from the corner of his eyes. She was taking her laptop and her books out of her bag. He continued to drink his tea while he occasionally glanced at his cousin to make sure she was doing her homework properly. After several more minutes he finally opted to start his studies as well. Reaching down into his bag he pulled out his laptop and his folder so he could enter the day's lecture notes. After entering only one page, he found himself distracted by the memory of the red FC. He blankly stared at the screen a moment then gave in to his desire to stop entering his notes into the computer. He double clicked on the icon to his Internet browser and again typed in the familiar name of Masuko Roku.

Mitsu flipped the page of her textbook. She would bet anything at the moment that Ryousuke-san was surfing the Internet again. More precisely, he was probably looking up information on Masuko Roku just as he had researched the professional racer during his break at school today.

* * *

Flashback 

He and Amori Genjo had been waiting outside her classroom door when she exited. Together they had joined the others at the group's usual table in the cafeteria, but when Ryousuke-san had excused himself from the group, She had done so as well and went after him.

Mitsu dodged through the people coming into the cafeteria and caught up Ryousuke who was on his way out of the building, "Ryousuke-san, could I join you?" She asked pulling up beside him.

He looked at her without letting the surprise he felt show on his face, "If you wish." He answered stoically.

"Thank you."

They walked together in silence towards a multistory building: The library. They entered the silent building and she followed Ryousuke to the common room. Several rows of tables spanned from one end to the other end of the large room. It wasn't as quiet in here as it was in the rest of the library. Ryousuke walked down between the rows of table until he reached one where only one person sat studying quietly. He slid his bag off his shoulders and unto the table. Mitsu did the same.

"Would you watch my things a moment, Mitsu-chan?"

"Of course." She answered as she pulled out the chair so she could sit down.

Ryousuke nodded and left the common room.

Mitsu watched him go. When he was out of view she glanced briefly at the student on the far side of the table before reaching into her bag for her lunch and her laptop. She turned on the portable computer and unwrapped her sandwich as it loaded. She looked about at all the students. Some were eating and studying quietly, others were in groups chatting and eating, and others were sitting in groups with their books studying, discussing, or working on a project. Reaching into the school bag again she pulled out her textbook and opened the cover. She bit into her sandwich as she started reading. She was mildly startled when someone pulled out the chair beside her. She sighed when she looked up and saw Ryousuke sitting down.

He settled in the chair and glanced at her briefly, "Thank you." He said simply choosing not to mention the light moment of fright that had crossed her features.

"Hai." She said casually and turned to her textbook again. Within moments though, she glanced at him from the side of her eyes. He was reading a magazine. She turned her head ever so slightly. MotorSport. She smiled. So the ever-serious Takahashi Ryousuke did know how to relax and do something else besides study or prepare for races! She was about to turn back to her own studying when she saw him flip the page and his face adopt a harder look. Se turned to him fully, "Ryousuke-san?" She queries a little worried.

He remained silent.

Mitsu watched as his brows knit together as he read. She leaned towards him and glanced at the magazine, "What are you reading Ryousuke-san?" She asked casually.

Ryousuke heard her this time and turned to her. Her face was only inches away from his. The magazine in his hands lowered slightly. The scent of Vanilla and Roses filled his nostrils.

Mitsu frowned and pulled back. Masuko Roku again? She met his cool gaze, "You have been really interested in him Masuko Roku lately, Ryousuke-san."

The young man blinked and turned to look at the magazine in his hands. He shrugged and resumed his reading.

Mitsu watched him a moment longer. Why was he researching this professional driver so intently? Then suddenly an idea formed in her mind. Could it be? Could Masuko Roku somehow be one of the next drivers Project D was facing in the near future? Was that why he was researching the man so much? She glanced at him again. Takahashi Ryousuke was rabidly absorbing all the information he was reading in the magazine.

End Flashback

* * *

A knock at the door snapped Mitsu out of her reveries, "I'll get it!" Tsugumi declared bouncing out of her seat and out of the kitchen before either Ryousuke or herself could get out of her seats. The two of them glanced at each other. 

"That's probably him." She said getting up.

Ryousuke nodded and watched her leave.

A minute later Tsugumi re-entered the kitchen, "Aren't you going to go with her Ryousuke?" She asked stepping into the kitchen.

He shook his head, "Get back to your studies." He said sternly.

The teen frowned and went back to her seat to sit down, "You should go with her you know. What if he bullies her or something?"

"She won't be bullied."

"How do you know? You don't know what kind of man this guy is. Besides she might like some support." Tsugumi said simply.

"She's used to dealing with men." He said casually. Fukotomi was active in the racing world. She had experience dealing with men. Suddenly he frowned. He just realized that she had always raced anonymously.

"That didn't sound very good Ryousuke-kun." Tsugumi said grimacing as she stared at him.

Ryousuke sighed, "I didn't mean it like that Tsugumi." His younger cousin continued to stare at him, "Fine." He pushed his chair back and got to his feet, "You keep studying!" he ordered and walked out of the kitchen.

Tsugumi listened for the sound of the front door closing and then got to her feet and rushed to the window. She peeked through the blinds and watched Mitsu and the older man walk around the small white car beside Ryousuke's car. Her cousin walked into view but instead of joining Mitsu and the man he stopped and looked towards the window and pointed at her. She stepped back from the window. She really hated him sometimes…

Ryousuke watched as his cousin disappeared from the window then he turned and went to join Mitsu and the interested buyer, "Hello." He said casually as he approached them.

The man's eyes landed on him and a look of recognition filled his eyes, "Takahashi Ryousuke!" He said smiling. His eyes glanced at the white FC and he nodded smiling, "I thought that car looked really familiar. The white comet of Akagi." He stated simply and turned to look at the young racer before him, "I'm Yonai Zeshin. I'm very happy to meet you." He said offering his hand.

Ryousuke accepted the hand and shook it, "Nice to meet you." He glanced at Mitsu and nodded.

"So how did the Tokyo Phantom and the Comet of Akagi meet?" He asked smiling. His eyes widened then, "Wait a minute, you two aren't…"

"No." Mitsu and Ryousuke both replied before the man could finish his sentence.

He looked at them curiously.

"It's and odd situation." Mitsu offered simply, "So would you like to look inside?" She asked to change the subject.

"Yes, of course!" The man answered as he followed Mitsu to the car where she pulled open the door for him.

Ryousuke also moved towards the car and glanced inside, he hadn't really seen the car yet. He stood beside Mitsu and tried to look uninterested as he crossed his arms about his chest.

Yonai Zeshin pulled the latch under the dash and stepped out of the car. He had seen the extra gauges and was excited to know what else was under the hood of the Tokyo Phantom. Mitsu and Ryousuke followed him silently as he looked down with a smile. He was impressed, "I definitely like what I see so I'd like to apply."

Mitsu nodded and pulled out a folded piece of paper and a pen from her pocket, "Here you go." She said them to him.

The man took them and started to fill out the reason for which he wanted to buy the car. Then he entered the amount he was willing to pay for it. He passed Mitsu the application and turned to the car again, "Great. So I hope to hear from you."

"I'll be making a decision by Friday night or Saturday afternoon." Mitsu informed him. The man nodded and shook her hand. He turned to Ryousuke and smiled as he held out his hand to him as well, "It was great to meet you to Ryousuke-san!"

Ryousuke simply nodded and shook his hand, "Good luck." He said casually.

"Thank you." He nodded and walked back to the car he had arrived in.

Ryousuke touched Mitsu's lower back lightly, "Let's go back inside." He said casually as he removed his hand after the brief contact.

Mitsu nodded she locked the car and started back to the house with Ryousuke walking silently by her side. They re-entered the kitchen where Tsugumi looked up at them innocently, "How did it go?"

"It was okay." Mitsu said taking a seat at the table. She unfolded the piece of paper in her hands.

Ryousuke sat down behind his laptop and resumed reading whatever was on the screen.

"What's that?" Tsugumi asked looking at Mitsu curiously.

"Oh, I'm making people who want to buy the car apply."

"Apply to buy a car?"

Mitsu smiled, "I guess I want to know what's going to happen to it after it's sold."

"Sounds like you're still attached to your car. Why don't you just keep it?"

Ryousuke looked at Mitsu to see her reaction.

She remained silent a moment as she stared down blankly at the paper in her hands, "I can't…" She said softly. She lowered the white piece of paper to the table and pushed back her chair, "Excuse me." She said and got to her feet so she could leave the kitchen.

Tsugumi watched stunned. She turned to look at her cousin, "Is she okay?"

Her cousin's face was blank as he nodded, "She'll be fine."

Tsugumi frowned, "You're so cold Ryousuke."

"Sometimes, people want to be alone Tsugumi." He informed her simply as he studied something on the screen of the laptop.

"I think you should go check on her."

"She'll be back soon."

"Fine, I'll go check on her then." The teen got to her feet.

"Tsugumi." He called sternly, stopping her in her tracks. He continued only after she met his eyes, "Sit down. Give her a moment. She'll be back soon."

She heard the confidence, and she heard the seriousness in his voice. Tsugumi sighed and sat down again.

"Get back to your homework." He said simply and turned his attention back to his laptop.

Just then, as though on cue, Mitsu walked into the kitchen and picked up her cup from the table. She went to the counter to pour herself some more tea, "Did anyone want some?" She asked glancing at the two people sitting at the table. Tsugumi was watching her and shook her head. Ryousuke was still staring at his laptop and didn't respond. She turned back to her cup and carried it to the microwave to heat up the drink. Leaning against the counter as she waited, she stared at the backs of the two cousins. She stepped closer towards them and looked at Ryousuke's laptop screen. She smiled to herself. Masuko Roku, "How do you know him again?" She asked casually.

"I met him on a circuit a long time ago." He answered just as casually. The microwave beeped, "You're tea is ready." He said when he didn't hear her move away.

Tsugumi glanced at her cousin then at Mitsu who had gone to the microwave to get her tea and come back to sit at the table.

"The books Tsugumi. Concentrate on your books." Ryousuke said without looking up at her.

"I know. I know…" She looked over at Mitsu and rolled her eyes.

Mitsu only smiled and sipped her tea before pulling her own textbook towards herself. Masuko Roku…

'_If you meet him, stay away from him, Mitsu-chan. He's bad news.' _Keisuke's words echoed in her mind, _'I don't want him to be hurt.'_

What had happened between Ryousuke-san and Masuko Roku?

"I'm home!" Keisuke called walking into the kitchen to find his cousin, his brother and Mitsu all sitting together at the table. He smiled and entered.

Tsugumi and Mitsu welcomed him while his brother just looked up and gave him a simple nod before turning back to his laptop.

"Well at least you guys didn't make anything for dinner! I bought some food!" He said carrying the white bags he held to the counter.

"Oh good! I'm hungry!" Tsugumi exclaimed getting out of her chair and moving to Keisuke's side to see what he had bought.

Mitsu leaned back in her chair and sighed tiredly. She glanced over at Ryousuke. He was still intently looking at the computer. Suddenly he shut the laptop and placed it in his bag and met her gaze. She offered him a smile and he looked away and got out of his chair to go see what his younger brother had brought home. Mitsu shook her head. She also packed her things.

"Tsugumi, put away your things." Ryousuke said as he went to the cupboards to pull out some plates.

"Hai!" She said and went to do what he told her.

The four of them set the table and sat down to eat.

Mitsu looked around the table as she chewed her sushi roll. Tsugumi was choosing another piece while Keisuke was busily eating what he had on his plate. Her eyes landed on Ryousuke next. He had just placed a piece of sushi in his mouth. When he finished chewing he lowered his chopsticks to his plate and pushed back his chair. He got to his feet and went to put away his plate.

"Aniki?" Keisuke said looking up at his brother.

"What is it Keisuke?"

"Aren't you hungry?"

"Not really. I have work to do before we go tonight." He said and left the kitchen.

They watched him go then Tsugumi turned to Keisuke, "Okay, he's been acting differently."

Keisuke shrugged, "He might be tired. We didn't get back until really late last night."

"And he didn't come back at all the night before that." Mitsu said casually.

Tsugumi turned to her with wide eyes, "He didn't come home?"

She shook her head, "Not until we had to leave for school."

Tsugumi frowned, "That's not like him." She said reflectively. She glanced at Keisuke who was also frowning.

"I don't know, Tsugumi-chan." He said before she could ask him anything.

The table fell silent as they continued to eat their dinner.

To the two girls' surprise Keisuke didn't eat as much as he usually did. He got to his feet and placed his dish and chopsticks in the dishwasher then excused himself.

Mitsu and Tsugumi exchanged looks.

"Now he's acting strange."

Mitsu nodded and stared down at her plate.

"Mitsu-chan?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you know if something happened?"

Mitsu shook her head, "No. But something must have happened when he went with Fumihiro to Yahiko on Sunday night."

"Why? What happened?"

Mitsu shook her head unsurely, "I don't know, but he came home just before we had to leave for school and… And he was different… He has been… different since then."

Tsugumi didn't like what she was hearing, "We should phone this Fumihiro and ask him!"

Mitsu met the teenagers determined gaze, "I was going to ask him tonight at the Redsuns' battle."

"I want to come with you guys."

Mitsu nodded and poked a sushi roll on her plate.

"Nothing shakes Ryousuke…" Tsugumi stated quietly to herself, "Nothing…"

Mitsu glanced at her for a second then lowered her gaze again. Apparently there was something that could shake up Takahashi Ryousuke. But what?

* * *

Author's Note: 

Another low action chapter! Sorry!

Mr Death, I agree with you about needing a break sometimes!

Thanks to those who are still reading and have reviewed. I like knowing what you think! And I'm always open to suggestions!

Oh, and does anyone know how much HP Takumi's new racing engine is pumping out? I'd appreciate the info... (was it150?)

Cheers,

CelicaChick


	13. Chapter 13: Research and Theories

**Chapter 13 – Research and Theories**

"Please Ryousuke-san! I want to go!"

Ryousuke shook his head, "No." He said simply as he looked through his closet for a sweater. He rifled through the sweaters hanging there until he finally reached the end of his selection. He touched the off-white fabric; hesitating.

Tsugumi cocked her head curiously and stepped towards the closet, "Wow, that's nice!" She reached in past him and grabbed it, "It's so soft."

Ryousuke watched her silently as she turned it around to inspect it, then he turned to his closet again and reached in to grab the first thing he could get his hand on.

"Why don't you wear this one?" Tsugumi asked as she watched him take one of his plain dark blue sweaters off the hanger.

"It might get dirty."

"You? Get dirty? Ha! I'd like to see that!" She rolled her eyes when he turned to her.

"Put that back." He said nodding to the sweater in her hand before he moved away.

Tsugumi sighed and reached into the closet to hang up the sweater. She then went to her cousin who was packing his laptop, "Why can't I come?"

"You have school tomorrow."

"So? So do you guys."

"We're different Tsugumi. No more arguments. You will stay home and study." He said sternly as he straightened to meet her eyes.

"Fine." She crossed her arms to show her displeasure.

Ryousuke sighed, "You don't even like racing, Tsugumi."

"So? Maybe I want to spend time with you guys!"

"We can do that tomorrow okay?" Ryousuke suggested.

His cousin just shrugged.

"We have to go. Don't sleep too late." He said meeting her eyes again.

She nodded simply.

"Tsugumi…."

"I know. I promise." She said rolling her eyes.

"That's very un-attractive." Ryousuke said as he shook his head. He reached out and tapped her head affectionately, "I'll see you later."

Tsugumi nodded and watched as he left his room. She followed him downstairs where Mitsu and Keisuke were talking and waiting for him in the foyer. She met Mitsu's eyes and shook her head in disappointment.

"I told you she wouldn't be allowed to come." Keisuke told her, "Aniki, is strict when it comes to school."

Tsugumi nodded in complete agreement. Then she noticed the bright yellow sweater her cousin was wearing, "Whoa, you match your car!"

Mitsu smiled as Keisuke nodded.

"Mitsu got it for me." Keisuke said looking down at it as his little cousin approached him to take a closer look.

"It's soft too." She walked around him, "Hey, its exactly like the one Ryousuke has in his closet!"

"That's because Mitsu-chan got him one too."

Tsugumi turned to Ryousuke, "You should go put yours on too! You guys will look so cute!"

Ryousuke ignored her comment and slipped on his shoes.

"Then maybe you guys won't be single anymore!"

"Tsugumi!" Keisuke said groaning. Their cousin was always asking them why they didn't have girlfriends.

"What?" She turned to Mitsu with a smile, "Don't you find it strange how two pretty cute and popular guys can still be single?"

Mitsu shrugged, "I guess maybe they haven't met the right girl yet."

Tsugumi frowned and looked at her cousins again, "Nah. I think maybe they're gay."

"Tsugumi!" Ryousuke and Keisuke both said at the same time.

Keisuke was glaring at her annoyed and Ryousuke had his arms crossed with a stern look on his face.

"Go study." The latter ordered. He turned to Mitsu and Keisuke, "Let's go." He pulled open the door. Keisuke and Mitsu exited the house and he turned to look at his cousin and gave her a nod before he stepped out and locked the door.

Tsugumi sighed and went back up the stairs. Hopefully Mitsu will find out what was going on with Ryousuke.

* * *

Mitsu stepped out of the yellow FD as Keisuke parked the car. She shut the door and looked about. There were quite a few people in the galleries. And by the cheering that followed at their arrival there were quite a lot of Redsuns fans and Takahashi Brothers fans.

"Ryousuke-san!"

"Keisuke-san!"

Girls called out. She frowned at all the shrieking and yelling. She turned to Keisuke who was walking up to her. She could already hear some of the said girls talking suspiciously about her.

"Let's go." He said nodding towards the single support van from which Fumihiro, one mechanic and Ryousuke was descending from.

She followed him quietly and looked about. A few girls were giving her menacing looks. She looked away and sighed.

Keisuke glanced down at her, "What's wrong?"

"Your legion of female fans is very…" She tried to think of a polite word.

Keisuke laughed, "Don't worry about them. We don't." He said still smiling as they reached their destination.

Ryousuke nodded at them. His eyes lingered on Mitsu for a brief second longer before he turned to Fumihiro and asked him to make the introductions with the opposing team.

"Keisuke-san!" Kenta said walking up to the younger Takahashi smiling.

Mitsu watched as the young man pulled Keisuke into a conversation. She turned to see what Ryousuke was doing and found him talking to the mechanic. She glanced around casually and still saw several girls staring at her. She casually moved away from the small group and went to see if she could get a closer look at the opponent's cars.

"Gathering useful information?"

Mitsu jumped slightly at the deep voice at her ear. She glance back to see Ryousuke with his hands stuffed in his pocket staring past her at the cars across the parking lot. He slowly turned his eyes onto her and she looked away. She could still feel his intense eyes boring into her, "I thought you were over that."

"I thought you were finished with the racing world." He said casually as he turned to look at the other team again.

They were silent a moment.

Ryousuke glanced at her again and turned around, "You don't have to give up racing, Mitsu-Chan. Your parents would want you to be happy." Then he walked away.

Mitsu stood motionless a moment then turned to watch him walk back towards the Redsuns and his brother. Happy? How could she ever be happy again? Her gaze lowered to the asphalt. She had lost the two people who she had loved the most and who had loved her. Her hands balled into tight fists. She would make then proud. She would become the best doctor in the entire country. There would be no time for cars. Besides, they had never wanted her to race anyway.

"Hey."

She looked up and smiled.

"What are you doing?" Keisuke said glancing over her shoulder at the White GT-R with red designs. He frowned, "I hate those cars."

Mitsu laughed, "They're not that bad."

Keisuke glanced at her as though she had lost her mind, "Don't tell me you're a fan."

"I wouldn't buy one if that makes you feel better." She said smiling.

"Thank goodness!" He smiled then, "Or I'd have to kick you out of the family!" He didn't notice her smile falter before it was back in place and she laughed lightly, "Come on. They're going to start." They walked back towards the Redsuns together.

Ryousuke watched them from the corner of his eyes. What had his brother said to her to cause her to drop her guard and show that brief glimpse of anguish?

"Ryousuke, we're ready." Fumihiro said bringing his attention back to the task at hand. He hadn't missed where Ryousuke was looking.

"Hai. Let's start. Kenta." He called and the young man came to stand before him.

Fumihiro watched and listened as Ryousuke gave him some final instructions and send him off, "This might be the toughest race he's been in."

Ryousuke nodded simply.

Fumihiro glanced at him briefly before focusing his gaze on Kenta again, "Mitsu and Keisuke are getting along really well."

"Aa."

"They're not…"

"No."

Fumihiro nodded, "Well in any case, she's a great girl. I don't mind having her around."

Ryousuke frowned.

"You don't think so Ryousuke?"

"I never thought of it."

Fumihiro laughed, "I guess I thought of it because she's so different from the other girls around here." He looked over towards the galleries and the girls who were trying to catch Keisuke or Ryousuke's attention with their flashy clothes and painted faces. Then he turned to look at Mitsu who was clad in some kind of black soft looking exercise pants with a matching black hooded sweatshirt. She sort of blended in the background a she walked beside the yellow clad Keisuke.

"Aa." Ryousuke said simply. He moved away so that he could get better look at the start. One of the opponent's crew was counting down. His eyes narrowed at the sound of the 'Go!' and he made quick instinctive mental notes of the GT-R's capabilities. He watched as Kenta fell in behind his opponent just as planned. Good. Everything was working out the way he wanted it. Unlike other aspects of his life… He sighed. The red FC… He shut his eyes and frowned.

"Aniki?"

His eyes opened and he turned to meet Keisuke's gaze, "What is it?"

"Is everything okay?"

"Hai. Everything is going as planned." He answered and turned to look at the race again. He glanced back. Mitsu-chan was talking with Fumihiro. He frowned again. He had a strange suspicion that he wouldn't like whatever they were talking about.

"Why are you looking at her like that Aniki?" Keisuke asked, "You're not still suspicious of her are you?"

Ryousuke shook his head, "No." He just had this strange feeling and he had learned to trust his feelings. Then again, maybe he was just over analyzing everything. He had been analyzing a lot lately. The red FC flashed in his mind and he shook his head to clear the image. He needed rest. He glanced down at his watch. By his calculations they should be at the quarter mark by now. In just under ten minutes it would be time for Kenta to make his move. He crossed his arms. Fujiwara should be at the finish line now, waiting for the race to end.

"He's improved." Keisuke said suddenly.

"Everyone has." He glanced at his brother, "No matter how much talent you have, if you don't challenge yourself, you won't improve."

Keisuke nodded, "Hai." He glanced at his brother, "Aniki?"

"Hmm?"

"Will I ever get to race on the downhill with Project D?" He asked softly.

Ryousuke glanced at him. What was this?

"I'm just curious." He added shrugging when his brother didn't say anything but simply looked at him.

"Who races on the uphill or the downhill is based on what will result in a win for the team. If the opportunity calls for you to race on the downhill, you'll race Keisuke."

The young man nodded satisfied.

"It's good for you to have Fujiwara as a teammate. He can push you, and you him. You both gain tremendously from the relationship."

"It does make practices more interesting." Keisuke said recalling the practices with the Redsuns when he was only pushed to his limit when his brother drove. The other members had never been able to keep up with him let alone push him.

Ryousuke nodded and glanced at his watch, "It should be time soon." He said and looked across the parking lot at the other team's remaining members.

There was a loud gasp of shock and mumbles from the gathered members. Ryousuke nodded. It was done. All Kenta had to do now was drive his own race and clear the rest of the course. He uncrossed his arms and stuffed his hands in pockets, "Let's go." He said and turned to walk back towards the support van.

Keisuke followed him, "Do you think Kenta will be able to keep the lead?"

"He's been working on his control and his patience. I have no doubt he'll remain calm. He just can't make any mistakes now."

The galleries erupted into a cheer. Word had it the Redsuns had won yet another battle.

"It's good news." Fumihiro said smiling as the two Takahashi brothers joined him and Mitsu-chan.

Ryousuke nodded.

"Keisuke-kun, Fumihiro said that your next opponent might be an FC." Mitsu told him as she kept an eye trailed on his older brother.

"An FC?" Keisuke said surprised. He glanced at his brother who was staring blankly in the distance. He turned to Fumihiro.

"We saw one going up Yahiko on our final run down."

"Nothing is certain Keisuke. Prepare yourself for anything." Ryousuke said sternly as he turned to look at his brother. He wanted to make sure that he understood the importance of that fact. When Keisuke nodded he turned to look in the distance again. Was that what they had been talking about? He stole a side-glance at Mitsu. Her eyes immediately lowered to the ground. Ryousuke became tense. She was watching him… Why? His hands became tight fists in his pockets. What was going on? Relax… He needed to relax. He inwardly sighed and slowly unclenched his fists. Everything was under control. He was in control of what was happening in his life. It didn't matter that he knew he was lying to himself. What mattered was that right now, he felt like he was still in control.

The sound of engines being shifted into lower gears seemed to sharpen his focus. Nakamura Kenta's S14, followed by Fujiwara Takumi's Hachiroku, appeared and approached them.

Mitsu watched as the two young racers parked their cars and came towards them. Kenta was beaming proudly as he stood in front of Ryousuke.

"Good job Nakamura. You raced just as I expected. Go home and rest. I will see you tomorrow."

The young man nodded and turned to the younger Takahashi, "Are you coming tomorrow Keisuke-kun?"

"I might." Keisuke said shrugging. He didn't like to make day-to-day plans.

"Okay, well see you guys later." The young man said waving. Still smiling he rushed back to his car and took off with other members of the Redsuns.

Ryousuke turned to look at Fujiwara, "Ready?"

The teenager nodded. He turned to Keisuke, Mitsu and Fumihiro and nodded a hello.

"Hello Takumi-kun." Mitsu said smiling.

He returned the smile and turned back to Ryousuke who was casually watching him.

"As usual, we'll wait until most of the people are gone, then we'll start." He turned to Fumihiro, "Get them ready."

Fumihiro nodded and motioned for Matsumoto to get started on the cars.

"Keisuke, Takumi." He called them over.

Mitsu watched them all get to work. She turned to Ryousuke who was also watching. He turned to her suddenly. Those intense dark eyes locking with hers.

"Why don't you join them?" He said casually.

"Do you mind?"

"Why should I?" He said then he walked off toward the van. He pulled open the door and climbed inside.

Mitsu watched him carefully. Although nothing eventful had occurred on Sunday when he and Fumihiro had gone to Yahiko, they had seen a red FC. She recalled the straightening of Ryousuke-san's shoulders when she had mentioned it. There was something about the FC that had thrown off Takahashi Ryousuke and the only thing that she could think of to explain it was that he knew the red FC's driver. Masuko Roku… That would explain all the research Ryousuke-san was doing on him. Could Masuko Roku, a man from Takahashi Ryousuke's past, and a professional driver, be Project D's next opponent?

She looked towards Takumi and Keisuke. Masuko Roku wasn't the best professional driver but still… Were they ready to face a professional driver? Maybe that's why Ryousuke-san seemed so distracted lately.

She started towards them. She would keep her thoughts to herself for now. Besides they were all still theories so far…

* * *

Mitsu climbed out of the FD and waited for Keisuke. She looked over at Ryousuke who was saying farewell to Fumihiro and Matsumoto. She waved to the two men as they drove past her and down the driveway.

"Aniki?" Keisuke called.

Mitsu turned to see what was going on. Ryousuke had pulled out his car keys and had disengaged his car alarm.

"Where are you going?" Keisuke asked frowning.

"Out." The older brother said simply and got into his car. He needed to double-check something. The FC's engine came to life and pulled out of the driveway.

Keisuke and Mitsu watched him leave.

"Where do you think he's going?"

Mitsu shrugged, "Maybe he just needs to go for a drive."

"Yeah, maybe." He sighed, "Well let's go in." He started towards the front doors.

Mitsu stared down the driveway one last time and followed him inside, "Keisuke do you know anyone who drives a red FC?"

"No, I don't think so. Why?" He asked removing his shoes as he answered.

"I was just thinking about the FC they saw on Yahiko. Do you think Ryousuke-san's worried about it?"

"Hmm… Well I haven't seen him doing any extra research or anything. And he hasn't said anything to me." He stared at her a moment, "Has he said anything to you?"

"Me!" Mitsu laughed, "Why would he tell me anything?"

Keisuke shrugged, "You seem to be able to get him to do things he doesn't want to do."

Mitsu looked at him skeptically, "What do you mean? I haven't made him do anything."

Keisuke chuckled, "Have you noticed Mitsu, that my brother hasn't had a cigarette in a long time?" He watched her contemplating that information, "He wanted to once, but right before he did, he changed his mind and said that maybe we both should quit."

"You should." She added quickly.

Keisuke smiled, "And he hasn't had one since. The thing is, my mother has always asked him to quit, but he never did. But then you come along and ask him and," Keisuke shrugged, "He stops." His eyes stared into hers.

"I'm sure he just realized that he really didn't need to smoke." She said simply, "And that does not mean that I can get him to do things he doesn't want to do." She stated casually, "No one can stop someone from doing something if they don't want to."

"I'm sure you can." Keisuke shrugged simply.

Mitsu sighed, "Anyway, maybe you could talk to him about the FC Fumihiro and him saw on Sunday. Just in case?"

Keisuke looked at her curiously.

"I think it's bothering him."

"I don't see why. But okay, I'll ask him when he gets back." He turned away when she nodded.

"Oh, Keisuke!" She called stopping him before he went up the stairs, "Please don't tell him I asked you to."

Keisuke smiled, "Sure Mitsu." He said and turned shaking his head as he made his way up the stairs.

Mitsu watched him disappear then took off her own shoes. It was true though. She hadn't seen him smoke a cigarette since the time she had taken the whole pack from him. Maybe he finally had gotten some sense knocked into him. She hadn't seen Keisuke smoke either lately. Maybe he had quit also. She climbed the stairs to her room and went in. She hoped Ryousuke-san was okay…

Her door opened suddenly, "Mitsu-Chan?"

She glanced towards the door and smiled, "Tsugumi-chan. You're not sleeping yet?" She glanced at the bedside clock. It was almost 1:00 am.

"I couldn't sleep."

"Worried?"

The teenager nodded, "Did you find out anything?"

Mitsu sighed, "Just that they saw a red FC going up the mountain when they were leaving. Nothing else happened though. They didn't see anyone else or do anything else."

"What's an FC?" Tsugumi asked frowning.

"It's the same car that Ryousuke-san has." Mitsu explained.

"Do you think that's what's bothering him?" She asked curiously.

Mitsu shrugged, "Maybe. He seemed to get a little tense when I brought up the car." She chose to keep her theories about Masuko Roku being the driver to herself.

"Did you ask him about it?"

Mitsu shook her head.

Tsugumi looked at her curiously, "You and Ryousuke don't talk to each other much. How come?"

"I don't know." She answered, "Keisuke's going to ask him about it though. It makes sense that he should ask him anyway."

Tsugumi shrugged. She had sensed something between her cousin and Mitsu, "I should go back to my room before Ryousuke catches me!"

Mitsu nodded, "You have time. He's not here."

Tsugumi's face filled with surprise.

"He left in his car."

Tsugumi simply looked at her, "He does that sometimes after races. You don't have to worry Mitsu. He usually comes back in a few hours."

Mitsu simply smiled. She doubted Ryousuke would come back before they had to leave for school. But there was no need to worry the girl, "Okay. Well we should both get to bed then."

Tsugumi smiled also, "Okay, goodnight Mitsu-chan!" She said and left the room.

"Goodnight." She said and watched as Tsugumi shut the door behind her. Mitsu's smile immediately fell from her face. She walked over to the window and stared down at the empty spot where the white FC should have been parked. She leaned up against the windowpane. A soft sigh escaped her lips.

* * *

The next morning... (Wednesday)

Ryousuke pulled into his parking spot between Keisuke's FD and his parents Mercedes. His parents were just climbing out of the silver car. He turned off the engine and stepped out.

"You're not just getting home are you Ryousuke?" Takahashi Emi asked worried.

Ryousuke nodded, "How was work?" He asked his parents casually.

"Busy." His father answered, "Let's go inside."

The three of them entered the house.

"So how come you're just getting home?" Emi persisted.

"I went for a drive." He answered simply, "I have to get ready for school." He added glancing at his parents before heading up the stairs.

Fujimaro and Emi exchanged worried looks. Something was going on.

Ryousuke opened his bedroom door and went to pack his school bag.

"Good morning."

Ryousuke turned to see Mitsu step into his room, "Mitsu-chan." He gave her a quick nod and kept packing his bag.

"Did you get any sleep?" She asked softly.

He shook his head then he looked back at her, "Did you?"

Mitsu took a step back in surprise.

Ryousuke nodded. She didn't. He closed his bag and picked it up, "Are you ready?"

Mitsu blinked suddenly, "I… Yes." She said nodding. She took one last look at him and turned to walk out of his room.

"Good morning!" Tsugumi said cheerily standing at the threshold of Ryousuke's room.

Both Mitsu and Ryousuke looked at her in surprise.

"Um. Good morning Tsugumi-chan." Mitsu said as casually as she could as she put on a smile.

"Go get ready for school Tsugumi." Ryousuke ordered sternly.

"Hai." The teenager answered glancing at her cousin, "You look awful Ryousuke." She said frowning before she turned and went back to her room to change out of her pajamas.

Mitsu turned to look at him, "She's right you know." She said meeting his eyes, "You do look awful." She turned and walked out of his room and back to her own to grab her things.

Ryousuke watched her leave, a frown on his face. He sighed. What did they know anyway. He stepped out of his room. Keisuke was stumbling sleepily out of his room. His brother nodded at him and made his way to the bathroom.

He turned down the hall and walked towards the stairs. Mitsu joined him in the hall.

"Ready." She stated.

He nodded and led the way downstairs to the kitchen where his parents had made tea and were sitting silently discussing something in hushed voices.

"Good morning." Mitsu said as they entered the kitchen.

Emi and Fujimaro smiled, "Good morning Mitsu-chan." They said simultaneously.

"Have some tea before you leave." Emi said pushing out her chair so she could get up.

"I can get it." Mitsu exclaimed, "Please sit back down." She said smiling as she made her way around the table to get two cups out for herself and Ryousuke. She went to pour the tea as Ryousuke went to her side.

Mitsu passed him a cup of tea.

Ryousuke nodded his thanks and turned to his parents who were watching them curiously. He raised the cup to his lips and took a sip. To his side Mitsu had also turned about and noticed his parents' curious stare. She smiled lightly. He quickly finished his tea and moved away to place his cup in the dishwasher before venturing to take another look in Mitsu's direction.

When his gaze met hers, she followed his example and quickly finished her tea. She turned to Emi and Fujimaro with a smile, "Bye." She said with a slight wave.

Ryousuke gave them a nod and the two of them left the kitchen.

Emi and Fujimaro exchanged looks. Both smiled. It seems that their son was now getting along better with Fukotomi Mitsu. A good sign especially before Sunday.

Sunday!

"Oh! Wait a minute!" Fujimaro called out stopping the two of them before they had exited the kitchen. His eyes focused on Mitsu as they turned to look at him, "Mr. Adashi phoned yesterday. He's going to drop by this Sunday."

Mitsu's expression went blank and she nodded, "Okay. Thank you." She said bowing her head slightly before she turned and left the kitchen.

Fujimaro and Emi turned to Ryousuke who nodded his head once and also left.

Emi sighed and turned to her husband, "Do you think they're ready for this?"

"They'll have to be." Fujimaro answered softly.

* * *

Author's Note:

Thanks to all of you who have replied to the question about Takumi's engine!

GT4SilverShadow - Of course it helps! About vvt-i: Did it exist in those old engines? (Or back then, maybe just in the race engines)

Of course thanks to everyone for reading and all the support. I appreciate it!

CelicaChick


	14. Chapter 14: New Revelations

**Chapter 14 – New Revelations**

Just as every other day, Ryousuke drove them to school, he accompanied Mitsu to her class and they spent their lunch hour together with his friends. Like Monday and Tuesday, Mitsu noticed that Ryousuke was still spending his time researching Masuko Roku. No one broached the subject with him. They had all noticed his reluctance to speak about the reason for his need to know more about the professional racer. After school, Ryousuke drove them home again and they both retired to their respective rooms.

Mitsu's eyes opened sleepily as someone knocked on her door. She sighed inwardly, "Come in." She called.

"Hi Mitsu-chan!" Tsugumi said bouncing into the room, "Oh, I'm sorry were you sleeping?"

"Oh no! I was just lying down." Mitsu said sitting up. She patted a spot beside her on the bed.

Tsugumi smiled and joined her, "So do you want to study together?"

"Sure." Mitsu said as the girl smiled.

"Great! I'll go get Ryousuke!" She said and bolted out of the room before Mitsu could object.

Mitsu sighed and dropped her head into her hands.

Tsugumi rushed back into her room with her books, "He was being stubborn, but I finally got him to join us. Let's go."

"Tsugumi-chan, I don't think we should bother him if he rather be alone."

"None sense. He's alone too much. Come on Mitsu-chan. Please?"

Mitsu sighed.

Tsugumi smiled. She went to the desk and grabbed Mitsu's bag, "Let's go!" She said and darted out of the room again.

Mitsu sighed again and stepped out of her room to see Ryousuke doing the same. He still looked tired, "Maybe you should get some rest instead Ryousuke-san. I could help Tsugumi if she has any problems."

"I'm fine." He answered. He had a lot of work to get done before he left to be with the Redsuns tonight.

They walked down the stairs to the kitchen where Tsugumi had already settled herself at the table. She smiled as they entered. They looked cute together. She thought to herself. She watched as Ryousuke settled beside her and Mitsu took a seat across them. Interesting.

She continued to watch as they pulled out their respective books and started studying.

"You're wasting time Tsugumi." Her cousin said sternly.

"I know, I know. Study, study, study."

Mitsu looked up curiously. Tsugumi was staring at her book and Ryousuke was staring at his screen, an amused smile on his lips. She couldn't help but smile herself as she turned back to her notes. He had a beautiful smile.

Ryousuke looked up casually. Mitsu-chan was flipping though her notes with a smile on her face. A warm feeling swept through his chest. He frowned and lowered his gaze to his laptop. What was wrong with him? This couldn't be happening! He didn't want this to happen! He shut his laptop and was about to put it in his bag.

"Ryousuke?" Tsugumi questioned watching him stunned.

"I have to go." He said pushing his chair back. He glanced at Mitsu quickly before averting his gaze, "Can you help her if she needs it?"

"Sure." She studied him curiously. What was this? He seemed unsettled, "Where are you going Ryousuke-san?"

"I need a break." He said and quickly exited the kitchen.

Mitsu and Tsugumi turned to exchange worried looks.

"I've never seen him like this. I'm worried…" Tsugumi confessed.

Mitsu nodded. Ryousuke was getting more and more distracted as Saturday loomed closer.

"What should we do?" The teenager looked to Mitsu for advice.

"I don't know. I don't know your cousin that well. What do you think we should do?"

"I thought you would know." Keisuke had said that Mitsu had a pretty good influence on Ryousuke. From what she had seen on the surface so far, they really didn't seem to get along that well. But beneath their actions and responses to each other she sensed a connection between them.

Mitsu shook her head. Why would she think that? She stared down at her notes. She couldn't seem to get rid of an unsettled Ryousuke out of her mind. It bothered her.

"You're worried about him too, aren't you?"

Mitsu shrugged simply.

"I know you are." Tsugumi said casually, "You don't have to be shy about it."

"I'm not."

The Teenager smirked, "And I suppose you're going to tell me you're not attracted to him either."

"Attracted to him!?!? Of course I'm not attracted to him!" Mitsu exclaimed. She tried to laugh off the idea.

"Right." Tsugumi was smiling but then she became serious, "He likes you, you know. I can tell."

"I'm sorry?" Mitsu's eyes were wide with shock.

Tsugumi just smiled, "He must like you because I haven't seen him give any girl the time of day since his ex-girlfriend."

Mitsu was looking at her in surprise.

Tsugumi let out a light laugh, "Hard to believe?"

Mitsu nodded.

The teenager shrugged, "He's pretty attentive to you. And yes, He did have a girlfriend. It was a long time ago. I think I was eleven or twelve then. So that was about… five or six years ago." She looked up at Mitsu who had turned to look blankly down at her notes again.

"Did she hurt him?" Mitsu asked softly.

Tsugumi sighed, "I don't know. I guess any kind of breakup is painful."

Mitsu nodded. That was true. She looked up at the young lady, "Is that why he's the way he is?"

Tsugumi laughed, "No way. Ryousuke's been this serious ever since he was born! I've never seen him any different!"

"You got that right!" Keisuke said strolling into the room.

"Hi." The two girls said simultaneously.

"Did you just get back?" Tsugumi asked as her cousin went to the fridge to get some juice.

"Yup." He poured the juice into a glace and was about to put the container back into the fridge.

"Thanks for asking if we want some."

Keisuke frowned and turned to Mitsu, "Would you like some juice Mitsu-chan?"

Mitsu smiled, "I'm okay, thank you."

Keisuke nodded and pulled open the fridge to put away the juice carton.

"Gee thanks." Tsugumi said frowning.

Keisuke, Mitsu noticed, was smiling as he walked over to the table and sat down between them.

"So why are we talking about my brother?" He asked as he sipped his juice.

Mitsu lowered her gaze.

Tsugumi smiled and looked over at Mitsu to find her staring down at her notes again a slight blush on her cheeks, "We were just talking about how serious Ryousuke is."

"That's nothing new."

"Yeah, but now he's acting kind of strange."

"Strange?" Keisuke repeated, his attention peaked. He looked at his cousin then at Mitsu. He frowned, "Are you okay Mitsu-chan? You look a little flushed."

"I'm fine." She said and tried to give him a casual smile.

Keisuke studied her a second longer then turned to his cousin again, "So?"

"I don't know. He seemed…" She didn't know how to explain it.

"Uneasy, restless." Mitsu added.

"Where is he right now?" Keisuke asked curiously.

The girls shrugged.

Keisuke sighed and placed his cup on the table, "I'll be back." He got to his feet and left the kitchen.

Mitsu and Tsugumi exchanged looks.

The younger of the two smiled, "Us girls should stick together."

Mitsu smiled and nodded.

They each turned to look at the homework in front of them.

"I hate trigonometry." Tsugumi said groaning.

"Need some help?" Mitsu asked as she scooted her chair to the teenager's side.

Keisuke walked into the room with an unreadable look, "Um. Mitsu could I speak to you?" He asked as the two girls turned to look at him.

"Sure." She got up from her chair, "I'll be back." She told the other girl and walked towards Keisuke who stepped out of the Kitchen. She followed him into the living room.

"What's wrong?" She asked seeing the worry on his face as it surfaced.

"Something's really wrong with my Aniki. He's in the entertainment room watching TV and he's drinking Sake. He doesn't usually drink Mitsu. Not unless there's some kind of special occasion." Keisuke was frowning deeply.

"He's drinking? Doesn't he have to meet with the Redsuns tonight?"

Keisuke nodded, "Hai. But I don't' think he's going to have just one drink."

"Well there's no way he's going if he's going to be drinking."

"Would you talk to him?" Keisuke asked meeting her eyes.

"Aa." She nodded, "I'll do that now."

Keisuke watched as she turned and walked away from him towards the entertainment room. He hoped she could get him to settle down somehow…

* * *

Mitsu stopped in front of the closed door. She was a little apprehensive about seeing him. She hated being unsure of what to expect. She took a deep breath and took hold of the doorknob and pushed open the door. She stepped into the large room and shut the door behind her. Ryousuke-san was sitting back on the large white leather sofa in front of the large plasma television. She saw him raise the small cup to his lips to drink. She frowned and walked towards him. 

"Ryousuke-san." She said as she sat down beside him.

The young man turned to her surprised. He had thought his brother was coming back to try and talk to him again. But no… It was her... His body became tense. Why was she sitting so close to him? This was a large couch, couldn't she have sat a little further away? He turned to look at the television again. Ignore her. Maybe she'll leave. He raised the cup of Sake to his lips and downed the rest of the liquid. It burned the back of his throat as it went down.

Mitsu saw his brow twitch before he leaned forward to pour himself some more from the bottle he had set on the coffee table.

"Don't you have to meet the Redsuns tonight?" She asked softly. She saw him hesitate for a split second before he continued to fill his cup. He then leaned back on the sofa and brought the cup to his lips again. How much had he had to drink so far? She studied his face with worry. There was a tightness to his features and shadows under his sleep deprived eyes, "You shouldn't be drinking so much if you plan to go to Akagi tonight Ryousuke-san." Again he said nothing. Instead he downed the rest of his drink again.

God that burned! Ryousuke swallowed. He sat staring at the television screen while he overcame the uncomfortable sensation in his throat, his chest and his stomach. Then he leaned forward to fill his cup again. When would she leave? He leaned back with his freshly filled cup. She was so close. Vanilla and Roses filled his nostrils and seemed to fog up his mind. He raised the cup to his lips.

"You've had enough." Mitsu said as she reached out and stopped him from bringing the cup to his lips. She easily took it from a stunned Ryousuke and moved to place it on the table. She pushed the cup and the bottle further down the table and out of his reach. When she turned to him again, he was staring at her with annoyance.

She placed a hand on his arm, "There are other ways to relieve your stress Ryousuke-san." She said softly. He was tense, "Lie down on your stomach."

That got a reaction. He frowned.

"Trust me." Mitsu moved off the couch.

Ryousuke just stared at her.

His gaze was still cold and passive but she could see the glazed look the alcohol was having over him slowly making its appearance.

"Trust me." She repeated softly as she kept eye contact with him.

Ryousuke sighed and moved to lie down on his stomach. He crossed his arms in front of him without removing suspicious eyes from Mitsu. He watched as she moved to sit on the couch again. Close. She was so close to him again…

Mitsu settled herself by his hip and moved to place her hands on his lower back, "Relax." She said softly as she pressed her fingers into his tense back muscles, "Relax…" She repeated as she felt his muscle contract under her fingers. She slowly knead the firm muscles and watched as he slowly lowered his head onto his crossed arms. Her hands slowly massaged up his back, starting from his spine and spanning laterally to his sides. She worked her way up to his shoulders.

Ryousuke fought to keep his eyes open and his thoughts from drifting out of control. He was trying to get away from her, yet here he was, lying completely vulnerable to her dangerously capable hands.

_I'm still in control over my life. I'm still in control over my self. _He repeatedly reminded himself. He had to remember to keep his guard up.

"Shhh…"

Her hands were on his shoulders now. Her long soft fingers gently coaxing his tense muscles into loosening up.

Ryousuke silently cursed his body as it betrayed him. He felt as though she had turned him into one large pile of putty; completely pliable. He had to get up and get away from her.

He lay motionless. He couldn't bring himself to move. No, he was still in control of himself. He just didn't want to move. He was tired. Very tired. It wouldn't hurt if he closed his eyes for a few minutes…

Mitsu passed her thumb down the back of his neck as her fingers rubbed the sides. They moved laterally to the sides to his trapezius muscles then out towards his posterior deltoids. Firm. Her eyes moved away from his body to look at his face. His eyes had finally closed. She smiled and lightened her touch. She hoped he would fall asleep. He needed it…

Her hands moved down his back again. Gently, slowly, she was barely touching him now. No reaction. His breathing remained constant, deep and slow. She carefully lifted her hands from his body and watched him for a reaction. Nothing. She smiled and glanced at the TV. She reached towards the coffee table for the remote and turned it off. She glanced at Ryousuke and slowly got up from the couch. He didn't stir. Satisfied, she picked up the bottle of Sake and the cup and moved about the room to put the items by the small bar. Still cautious so not to wake the sleeping man, she walked carefully to the door and pulled it open. She looked towards the couch. No movement. She stepped out and gently closed the door behind her and went back to the kitchen.

Tsugumi and Keisuke both looked up expectantly as she appeared.

"Is he okay?" Tsugumi asked.

Mitsu shrugged, "I don't know." She turned to Keisuke, "He's sleeping now."

Keisuke's eyes widened, "Really?"

Mitsu nodded and sat down in her chair.

"It's about time he got some sleep."

Tsugumi listened carefully, "How did you do it?"

"Do what?" Mitsu asked.

"Get him to finally sleep."

Mitsu shrugged, "He was already really tired and he had quite a lot to drink."

Keisuke shook his head, "I'm telling you Tsugumi, Mitsu can get my Aniki to do anything."

Mitsu frowned, "Not this again." She sighed. She pulled her notes towards her.

Keisuke just smiled and turned to his cousin and nodded.

Tsugumi also smiled, "I guess I should get back to my homework."

Mitsu nodded simply.

"I'm out of here then! Ja!" Keisuke got to his feet and quickly exited the kitchen.

The two girls looked at each other and laughed.

"It's good to have you here." Tsugumi said becoming serious, "I don't know what we would have done about Ryousuke if you weren't here."

"I'm sure you would have thought of something." Mitsu said as she turned to her notes.

"No. I don't think so. I mean how do you deal with someone like Ryousuke-kun who has never needed any help in his whole entire life?"

Mitsu remained silent. She didn't know what to say.

"Keisuke's right you know. You do seem to have an influence on him. He told me how Ryousuke quit smoking and well now, you got him to take a nap. Those are very large feats." She informed the other girl, "Anyone who can have that much of an impact on him must mean something to him." She glanced up at Mitsu. She was still staring blankly at her notes, "Mitsu-chan?"

"Hmm?" She looked up at the teenager.

"I don't mean to make you uncomfortable. Keisuke and I, we're glad you're here."

Tsugumi's response surprised her. She hadn't been expecting that.

The teenager smiled, "So… Are you still going to help me with this trigonometry homework?"

It was Mitsu's turn to smile, albeit, she was still mulling over everything the teenager had said over the past hour or so. She moved her chair closer to Tsugumi and the teenager moved her textbook so that Mitsu could see the problem.

* * *

Mitsu stood at the stove watching the fish that was frying in the pan before her. Dinner was running a little late. They had worked on Tsugumi's trigonometry homework until the teenager had felt comfortable with the problems before stopping. She turned down the heat of the stove and moved away to retrieve a plate. She scooped the fish out of the pan and slipped it onto the plate. 

"Mitsu-Chan." A deep stern voice made her jump.

Her eyes landed on Ryousuke who was standing at the entrance, "Ryousuke-san. You scared me." She said taking a calming breath. She offered him a small smile, "Dinner's almost ready." She said and moved to carry the plate of vegetable and the small bowls of miso soup to the table.

"Where are my keys?"

"Keisuke-kun, went to run the Redsuns' practice so that you could sleep." She informed him as she carried the last bowl of miso soup to the table.

"Where are my keys?" He repeated.

Mitsu stared at the table. She could practically hear the anger starting to vibrate in his voice. She casually looked up at him, "You can't drive anyway. You've had too much to drink."

"Mitsu-Chan." He warned.

"She doesn't have them Ryousuke-kun." Tsugumi said strolling past him and into the room. Her hair was wet from her recent shower and she was dressed in her baggy pink pajama bottoms and a light yellow tank top.

"Where are they?" He demanded. His voice still cold.

"Wow. Everything looks good Mitsu!" The teen said walking over to the table.

Ryousuke glared at them. Then he turned to leave.

"You won't find any of the van keys either." Mitsu said softly.

Ryousuke stopped in his tracks.

Tsugumi glanced at her cousin. He was standing arrow straight. He was mad. She was sure of it.

Mitsu took a slow breath and walked up to him. She hesitated a moment as she neared him then she stepped in front of him and looked up into his face.

Ryousuke's eyes were closed but he opened them when she stepped in front of him. They were hard and burning with a cold anger.

She stared up at him calmly and was about to speak when she remembered Tsugumi's presence in the room, "Could I speak to you?" She asked softly. He didn't need to be provoked, nor did he need to be spoken to in front of a younger cousin who looked up to him. She turned and walked out of the room.

Ryousuke gritted his teeth as he called up all his strength to try and calm himself. He started out of the kitchen and followed Mitsu-Chan to the living room. She was standing in front of the marble fireplace with her back to him. He took a few steps into the room and crossed his arms waiting. He prepared himself for one of her lectures about taking care of himself or something of that nature.

Mitsu turned to him and her eyes met his. Cold. They were still as hard and cold as ever. She walked up to him, "You trust your brother don't you Ryousuke-san?"

He remained silently glaring at her.

"Then trust him with the Redsuns."

"That's not the issue Mitsu-Chan." His voice was stern and steady.

She nodded, "You don't want to disappoint them. They stay with the team because they respect you." She saw something fliquer in his eyes, "And you embrace that respect by being there for them."

Ryousuke continued to stare at her. He hadn't expected this. Why didn't he ever know what to expect when she was around? It was getting very frustrating.

"I've seen the way the members of the Redsuns look at you Ryousuke-san. Everything will be okay." She said confidently. She took another step closer to him.

Vanilla and roses.

Mitsu raised her hand and touched his cheek, "You still look tired." She said as her hand slipped down the side of his face and moved to rest on his crossed arms.

He remained rooted in the same position, his eyes never leaving hers.

"Are you going to join us for dinner?" She asked removing her hand from his arm as she changed the subject.

He still didn't move.

"Your cousin will worry more about you if she also sees that you don't eat on top of not coming back home to sleep at night." She looked at him a second longer then stepped passed him and started out of the living room.

Ryousuke remained standing where he was. His cheek tingled where she had touched him. Control. He took a deep breath. He can't let her get to him. He uncrossed his arms and turned to walk out of the living room and head for the kitchen.

His cousin looked up at him and smiled as he came to sit at the table. What had Mitsu said to him? He looked completely calm now.

"Oh! Thank you Mitsu-chan!" She said as Mitsu placed a piece of fish in her bowl. She watched as Mitsu took another piece and moved to place it in the bowl in front of Ryousuke.

"Thank you. You don't have to serve us. We can do it ourselves." He said casually.

Mitsu nodded and went to serve herself. She then picked up the plate of assorted vegetables and offered it to Tsugumi.

"Thank you." He said accepting them. She placed a few greens in her bowl and passed the plate to her cousin. He too served himself some before passing the plate back to Mitsu.

"Did you finish all your homework?" Ryousuke asked casually.

"Hai. Mitsu helped with the trigonometry stuff."

Ryousuke nodded and continued to eat. It felt strange to be home at this hour. He chewed on a piece of fish. It was tasty.

"What are you going to do tonight Mitsu?" Tsugumi asked curiously.

"Study." She answered simply. She looked up at the girl curiously, "Why?"

"I thought maybe we could watch a movie together." She turned to her cousin, "Since you're home, you could watch too."

"I have work to do."

"You were going to go to practice Ryousuke-kun, so instead you can watch a movie. It would be the same."

"No."

Tsugumi sighed, "What about you Mitsu? Please?"

"I… Okay." She gave in. She hadn't seen a movie in a long time. It might be nice to relax a little. Take a break from all her school work and from life.

"Great!" Tsugumi exclaimed excited. She turned to her cousin, "Come on Ryousuke, join us! It will be lots of fun! Besides you need to relax!"

Ryousuke ignored her and continued to eat. He quickly finished his food as his cousin gave up trying to convince him to join them and started discussing movie possibilities with Mitsu-Chan. He collected his bowls and his chopsticks and carried them to the dishwasher, "Don't stay up to late Tsugumi." He said and walked out of the room.

"Hai!" She answered. When her cousin was out of the room she turned to Mitsu, "So how did you get him to calm down?" She had been dying to ask her the question.

Mitsu shrugged, "He just didn't want to let the Redsuns down. So I assured him he wouldn't be."

"That sounds like Ryousuke."

Mitsu looked at the girl curiously. She had never really thought of Ryousuke that way. He always seemed so confident and indifferent she would never have imagined him caring much about what others felt. She frowned. No. That wasn't fair. Now that she had met him, she knew differently.

"What are you thinking about?" Tsugumi asked curiously.

"Hmm? Oh nothing."

"Right. You're just like them you know."

"Them?"

"Ryousuke and Keisuke." Tsugumi chuckled at the look of confusion on the other girl's face, "You guys like to keep things inside." She said placing a hand over her heart, "Keisuke doesn't talk about anything that hurts him and Ryousuke, well, he hardly ever shares anything with anyone."

"And you think I'm like that?"

"Well maybe more like Keisuke than Ryousuke." Tsugumi shrugged.

They were silent a moment.

"Was it a person that hurt Keisuke?" Mitsu asked softly after she finished her miso soup. For some reason, hearing that he had been hurt really bothered her and she was curious to know the details.

Tsugumi nodded, "His girlfriend. Well ex-girlfriend."

Mitsu nodded. That explained Keisuke's views about girls being a distraction.

"I don't know what happened between them, but I bet Ryousuke does. He knows everything."

Mitsu smiled, "It certainly feels that way sometimes doesn't it?"

Tsugumi turned to her and nodded with a large smile, "Oh yeah!"

The two girls laughed. They finished their dinner and cleared the table.

"I'm going to get changed. I'll meet you there." Mitsu said as they walked out of the kitchen.

"Okay, I'll look for a movie." Tsugumi said and started towards the entertainment room.

Mitsu walked up the stars and went to her room to collect her nightclothes before going to the bathroom to shower. She emerged later refreshed but her mind was still on the two Takahashi brothers. She stopped in front of Ryousuke's closed door and stared at it a minute before she knocked on it lightly.

"Hai." His deep voice called out.

Mitsu pushed open the door and walked in. He was sitting at his desk in front of his laptop of course. She walked up to him and stood silently at his side as he continued to study several graphs.

"Is that the rate of improvement of the Redsuns?" She asked curiously.

Ryousuke nodded. He saved the data and closed the program. His notes appeared on the screen as he turned to Mitsu, "Is there something you needed?" His voice was void of emotion.

Mitsu turned to meet his gaze. He might have sounded cold but she knew he wasn't purposefully trying to be rude, "I… I wanted to ask you why Keisuke thinks girls are such a distraction."

She saw the brief look of surprise on his face.

"I suppose you believe I told him that." He said staring at her.

"I didn't say that." She was shocked at his assumption. He did care what people thought of him…

Ryousuke stared at her a moment longer before he turned away from her and looked at his laptop, dismissing her. "I have a lot of work to do."

Mitsu sighed, "Tsugumi told me that Keisuke was hurt by his ex-girlfriend. I just wanted to know what happened to him to make him think that way."

"Tsugumi should learn to keep such private matters to herself." Ryousuke said sternly without turning to look at her.

Mitsu frowned, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be so nosey either. I'll let you get back to your work." She turned and walked towards the door.

"She didn't do anything to him." Ryousuke exclaimed stopping her mid-stride.

Mitsu turned to look at him. He was staring reflectively at the tabletop. He raised his head and glanced at her.

"Keisuke was hurt but it wasn't her fault."

Mitsu walked back towards him, "I don't understand."

Ryousuke sighed, "He cared for her but he chose to end the relationship so he could focus solely on becoming a better racer."

"Oh... That's sad. So even then, he found girls to be a distraction…"

They were silent a minute.

Ryousuke stared at his laptop. Yes, Keisuke had found girls to distract his thoughts from racing but that wasn't the main reason he chose to stay away from getting involved in a relationship… No... Keisuke had seen what could happen and he was scared. Scared that one of them could become just as important to him and in the process be in a position to really hurt him...

The image of the red FC flashed in his mind…

A soft yet firm touch on his forearm snapped him out of his thoughts. His eyes rested on the delicate hand and slender fingers resting there. He forced himself to meet her gaze.

"He's lucky to have you as his Aniki." She said softly and offered him a soft smile. She hoped what she had said would lessen some of the deep sadness she felt within him. She gave his forearm a light squeeze before removing her hand, "Are you sure you don't want to join us for a movie?"

Ryousuke nodded, "I have to study."

"Okay. See you then." She said giving him a last smile before she turned and left the room. She closed the door softly behind her and made her way to the entertainment room where Tsugumi was waiting for her. She was still thinking about the strange look she had seen in Ryousuke's eyes when she settled on the couch by Tsugumi. Pain. Something, or rather someone, had definitely hurt him. And she would bet anything that that person had been his ex-girlfriend.

"Are you okay, Mitsu?"

The teenager's voice broke through her thoughts.

Mitsu turned to her and smiled lightly, "Yeah. I went to speak to Ryousuke-san about Keisuke."

Tsugumi smiled, "Really? What did he say?"

"He was the one who ended the relationship to concentrate on racing."

"That sounds like Keisuke. But, I bet you as soon as Ryousuke starts to date again, he'll do the same. He idolizes his Aniki."

"I've noticed. So what movie are we watching?" She asked to change the subject.

* * *

Author's Note: 

I know, another slow chapter. I guess it's my way to give some insight into the characters' past. Sorry Hana Tenchi! I promise you some action soon! The storie's Friday, Saturday and Sunday!

aprillam1638: I need to work on my descriptive paragaphs! A week point of mine that i really hate!

Oh Yeah, and thanks for all of you who sent some info on Takumi's engine! Much apreciated!

Please R and R...

CelicaChick


	15. Chapter 15: Hitting the Wall

Author's note:

So I just saw episodes 9 and 10 and well,I had to adjust a few things in regards to Keisuke. Hence the slightly abruptly added information about his past!

Also, in order to speed things up a little, this chapter consists of multiple short scenes I thought contributed to the development of the story. Anyway, yeah... Cheers!

* * *

**Chapter 15 – Hitting the Wall**

Mitsu stood in the kitchen sipping the coffee she had made. She glanced up at the kitchen clock. Where was he? She lowered the mug to the table and walked around the round oak table. He had never been late before. She took the steps two at a time and walked up to his bedroom door and knocked on it.

"Ryousuke-san?" She called and knocked again.

No answer.

Had he taken off again last night? She reached for the doorknob and pushed open the door. There he was. She stepped into the room and quietly walked to his desk which was covered with various open books, a few binders and his laptop which had gone into hibernating mode. She crouched low to the ground and looked at his sleeping face. His dark hair fell slightly in his face but she could still see his brows knitted together. Whatever he was dreaming about, it wasn't pleasant. She reached out and pushed his soft hair out of his face.

"Ryousuke-San…" She whispered gently. She didn't want to startle him. She watched as he frowned and continued to sleep. It brought a light smile to his face. He obviously didn't want to wake up.

"Ryousuke-san…" She called again and placed her hand on the elbow of the arm his head was resting on.

"Mmm… Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis…"

Mitsu stared at him in surprise. What was this?

"There may be a history of measles… in… unvaccinated child… Physical examination… show signs of optic nerve damage… damage to retina… poor motor cordination tests… muscle twitching…"

"Ryousuke-san?" She tried again.

"Mmm… Electroencephalogram… brain MRI… Serum antibody titer… Spinal tap… for analysis of… protein in… collected fluid… and… anti-measles virus… antibodies tests…" (1).

Poor thing. She gently squeezed his elbow as she placed her other hand on his back, "Ryousuke-san, time to wake up." She stroked his back gently.

His eyes fluttered open sleepily and met hers. He simply stared at her blankly for several seconds.

Mitsu offered him a soft smile, "It's time to wake up."

He blinked at the sound of her voice and the dazed look in his eyes grew fainter. He suddenly became aware of her touch on his arm and on his back. She was rubbing his back softly. He fought back a groan and the urge to close his eyes and go back to sleep.

"What time is it?" He asked in a low sleep laden husky voice.

Mitsu felt her stomach flutter at the sound, "Umm…" She straightened, removing her hands from him and looked about, "You slept in." She said then her eyes found the clock by his bed, "7: 08."

Ryousuke bolted upright in his seat, "We have to go!" He exclaimed getting to his feet.

Mitsu nodded, "I'll wait for you downstairs." She said and started for the door. She glanced back into the room. Ryousuke-san was rushing around the room, stuffing his books and his laptop in his bag. She stepped out of the room and walked back downstairs. She went to the kitchen and went to pour another cup of coffee. Ryousuke appeared at the entrance, "Let's go." He said meeting her eyes.

Mitsu nodded, "Here." She said holding out the mug for him.

Ryousuke stepped into the kitchen and accepted the cup from her. He sipped the hot liquid as quickly as he could.

Mitsu finished the remainder of her now lukewarm coffee and went to put the mug in the dishwasher. When she turned around, Ryousuke was dumping the rest of his drink into the sink. He made his way towards her and also placed his cup in the dishwasher, "Let's go." He repeated glancing at her quickly before rushing out of the room.

Mitsu grabbed her jacket from the back of one of the kitchen chairs and reached down to grab her school bag. She rushed after him.

Ryousuke held open the door as she slipped on her shoes and went to exit the house, "Mitsu-chan." He stopped her as she was passing him. She turned and looked up into his face.

"Thank you." He said casually in a low voice, "For waking me this morning… and the coffee."

Mitsu smiled, "It's not a problem Ryousuke-san." She said and stepped past him and out into the cool morning air. She heard Ryousuke close the door behind them and lock it. She turned and followed him to the FC.

Mitsu strapped herself into the seat. This was probably her chance to see him drive. He was no doubt going to drive a little faster so they could get to school in time. As expected his driving remained smooth and confident, but to her surprise he did not exceed the speed limit by much and she wasn't able to pick up anything of his true driving ability.

* * *

Ryousuke blinked and opened his eyes in an effort to stay awake. He looked up at the professor scribbling notes on the overhead projector. He stared down at his own notes and found the writing completely illegible. He sighed inwardly and started taking down the new information the professor was transcribing. He wrote as fast as he could struggling to copy everything down. 

The professor removed the page and started a new one.

Ryousuke frowned he flipped to a clean page and started copying the new information. It wasn't soon enough for Ryousuke when the bell finally sounded to end the class. He started packing his bag.

"Are you and Mitsu-chan joining us today?" He asked as they got to their feet.

"If she wants to." Ryousuke answered simply as they walked out of the busy lecture hall and towards Mitsu's class. It had become a natural thing now for Genjo to follow Ryousuke to her class where they would decide if they would join them for lunch.

"Hi Mitsu-chan!" Genjo said happily as she exited her class and joined them.

"Genjo." Mitsu said smiling, "Hello!"

"Are you going to join us?"

"Sure." She said and looked at Ryousuke. He still looked tired. She touched his arm briefly and gave him a casual smile before turning back to Genjo, "Let's go. I'm hungry."

The young man smiled and nodded. The three friends joined the others in their usual spot in the cafeteria.

"Genjo, can I borrow your notes from class?" Ryousuke asked as he sat down. He felt Mitsu take a seat beside him, her body brushing lightly against his.

Vanilla and roses…

"Yeah, sure." He pulled out his notes from his backpack and passed them to his friend. He looked over at the notes Ryousuke had taken, "That's your notes?" He asked incredulously. His notes were uncharacteristically messy and incomplete.

Ryousuke ignored him and got out his pen to start copying the notes.

"I guess you were having a hard time staying awake in your second class as well." Etsuya said softly as he shook his head.

Mitsu looked over at Ryousuke who was concentrating on copying the notes. She reached over and pulled one of Genjo's sheets, "I'll help you." She said placing the page in front of her and reaching into her bag for some blank paper.

"You don't need to do that Mitsu-chan." He said without looking up.

"It's not a problem." She said and started copying.

Ryousuke froze a moment to look at her.

Feeling his gaze on her she reached out and gave his hand a squeeze before releasing it again and concentrating on copying Genjo's notes.

Ryousuke turned to the pages in front of him again. He shook his head lightly and got back to work.

Across from them Isamu was smiling. He tuned to Genjo and Etsuya and found them also watching the pair curiously. So they had noticed it too…

* * *

Ryousuke closed his binder and shoved it in his bag. He had had another hard time focusing during the lecture. He was glad this day was finally over. 

"Did you want a copy of my notes?" Isamu asked from his side. He had noticed his friend's lack of attention during the class.

Ryousuke nodded, "Thank you."

"No problem." He said as he placed his bag over his shoulder and the two friends walked towards the door, "So Ryousuke, tell me something."

The young man glanced at him curiously. He had a feeling he wasn't going to like the question.

"What do you think of Mitsu-chan?"

Ryousuke shrugged. Once again his instincts hadn't failed him.

"Oh, come on. You must have some opinion of her." Isamu pressed.

"You like her." Ryousuke said casually.

Isamu grinned, "Well yes. But I asked what you thought about her."

"That's not important."

"Of course it is." Isamu said frowning, "Are you trying to avoid the question?"

Ryousuke glanced at him, "No."

They continued to walk through the crowded hallway in silence until they stepped outside.

"The two of you seem to have gotten really close this week." Isamu tossed out as he looked at his friend from the corner of his eyes, "We all think so. And have you noticed that Deushi Jiro has been clearly staying away from her?"

"Of course he has. She has been around us every day." Ryousuke explained simply. He looked around the area.

Isamu smiled. He was looking for her, "You know that everyone knows her as your girl, right?"

Ryousuke turned to meet his gaze then, surprise clearly showing on his face. He looked away when he saw a satisfied smile on his friend's face.

"We heard people talking about her and how she was taken because she was your girl." Isamu explained, "It isn't a bad thing. I mean Jiro-san is staying away from her," He raised his hand when Ryousuke turned to him to object, "I know, I know, you think it's because she's been with us."

Ryousuke turned away to look around again, "She's late."

"She's probably just talking to someone or something." Isamu reassured him, "Never mind. There she is."

Ryousuke turned to where his friend was gesturing.

"She's pretty cute." He said casually. His friend remained silent.

"Sorry, I'm late. I had to speak to my professor about an assignment."

"Not a problem. Except that Ryousuke here was starting to get worried." Isamu said gesturing to his friend.

Ryousuke's face was impassive, "We should go." He said simply and started walking in the direction of the parking lot.

Isamu chuckled and Mitsu looked between him and Ryousuke confused.

"You better go." He was still smiling. He rather enjoyed messing with Ryousuke, "I'll see you tomorrow! Oh and make sure that boy gets some sleep. He was practically dozing off in class." He was completely serious about the latter part of his statement. They were all worried about him.

Mitsu frowned and shook her head sadly, "He works too hard. See you tomorrow Isamu-san." She gave him a small wave and rushed after Takahashi Ryousuke.

* * *

Friday at the University… 

"He was struggling to stay awake in class again." Genjo informed everyone, "I don't think he even managed to take any coherent notes."

Etsuya turned to Mitsu, "Was he out all night again?"

Mitsu shook her head and glance in the direction of the cafeteria service line. Ryousuke was paying for large cup of coffee, "No, I went with him to the Redsuns' practice to make sure he came home last night, but I doubt he got any sleep. He was still at his computer this morning." She lowered her gaze to the table when the man in question turned and headed back in their direction.

"And the Project D is going to Yahiko tonight right?" Etsuya continued.

Mitsu nodded, "I think he's worried about it."

"I've never seen him so worried that he'd start suffering at school." Isamu said.

Genjo and Etsuya nodded and the table went silent as Ryousuke came into hearing distance. He reached the table and sat down beside Etsuya and right across from Mitsu.

"Oh, Ryousuke. Here's a copy of yesterday's lecture notes." Isamu said passing him several printouts.

"Hai. Thank you." He said and bowed his head slightly. He glanced down at them briefly before placing them in his bag.

"Up studying again?" Etsuya asked curiously.

Ryousuke nodded simply and sipped his coffee.

"Is something wrong Ryousuke? Because we're all starting to worry about you. You really haven't been yourself this week." Genjo said.

Ryousuke took another sip of his coffee, "I'm fine. I've just had a few things on my mind." He assured them casually.

Genjo sighed. Their friend was obviously not going to tell them anything.

* * *

Mitsu packed her belongings and bid goodbye to her lab partner before she strolled out of the room. Classes for this week were finally over. She was feeling quite anxious about this upcoming battle. With Ryousuke's strange behaviour, she felt like something was going to happen. This whole week seemed o be culminating to this one weekend. She walked briskly to their meeting point and was shocked to see Genjo, Etsuya and Isamu waiting with Ryousuke. None of them looked happy. Her pace slowed as she tried to read their expressions. 

"What's wrong?" She asked unsurely as she reached them.

"Nothing. Let's go." Ryousuke said and started in the direction of the parking lot.

Mitsu turned to his three friends.

"Come on." Isamu said motioning for her to follow them.

Once they had caught up to Ryousuke, Mitsu turned to Etsuya questioningly.

"Ryousuke completely fell asleep in our last class. We had to keep waking him up." He explained.

Mitsu's eyes widened.

"He shouldn't drive. He's way too tired." Genjo added, "We've been trying to tell him that."

Isamu nodded, "Ryousuke, I can drive you and Mitsu home. It's not a big deal."

"No." Came the firm reply.

"You're not being reasonable Ryousuke." Genjo said with a sigh, "It's safer if he drove you. Your car will be fine here over night."

"That's not an option."

They reached the Famous white FC.

"Ryousuke-san." Mitsu called out to him suddenly.

The young man turned to look at her.

"I don't think you should drive. You are exhausted despite what you say." She said softly as she walked up to him. She had to crane her head back slightly to look up into his face. She reached up and touched his cheek lightly, "You're tired… Let me drive us home."

Ryousuke did not respond right away. Her touch was distracting him, but several seconds later he quickly regained enough of his senses to formulate an answer, "No." Came the firm reply.

Mitsu dropped her hand from his face and took a step back crossing her arms, "Then I refuse to go in the car with you. You shouldn't drive. Not in your condition. It's dangerous. I don't care how good of a driver anyone is, if their exhausted they're reflexes and judgment are impaired."

Genjo, Isamu and Etsuya frowned. Did Mitsu really believe that Ryousuke would hand over the keys to his FC?

"Ryousuke just let me drive you guys home." Isamu repeated with a sigh.

His friend made no effort to reply. He was staring solely on Mitsu.

Ryousuke met her gaze. Had she really asked him to let her drive his car? His mind flashed back to yesterday afternoon within an hour of them getting home from school…

_Flashback:_

_He was staring at his textbook in frustration. He had read this paragraph at least a dozen times already and its contents still hadn't registered in his brain. He sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. He pushed back his chair and moved to the balcony doors to slide them open. His eyes closed as the fresh air hit him. His mind suddenly felt clearer and his muscles relaxed. He opened his eyes and walked out onto the balcony to the railings. What was this? Mitsu-chan was standing facing her car, a stack of papers in her hand. Ryousuke watched her carefully. Her posture was relaxed, but there was definitely a defeated slump to her shoulders. He watched as she started walking around the car, her eyes going over every inch of the white sw20. She touched her fingers to the body and ran them along the entire length of the car until she had circled it completely and stopped in front of it. She stared at it again, unmoving._

_Ryousuke unconsciously flinched when she sat down on her knees on the pavement. Crossing her arms on the hood of the car, she rested her head on them._

_"I don't want to give you away… But I have to… You'll have a good owner… I promise…"_

_Ryousuke watched as she sat there for several minutes, sometimes with her eyes closed, sometimes just staring at the car. She touched the hood softly with those delicate fingers then got to her feat again with a sigh. She unlocked the door and climbed into the driver's seat. The engine started and Ryousuke watched as she rested her head back in the bucket seat and closed her eyes. His chest tightened. There was something about seeing her in such a vulnerable state that shook him._

_Mitsu's eyes opened and she raised the pile of paper she was holding. She read over the first one carefully._

_The proposals. She was going over the offers and the reasons of all the interested buyers. She was serious about selling her car._

_Takahashi Ryousuke shook his head. He shoved his hands in his pant pockets and turned to go back inside, leaving the patio doors open and allowing the soft idling noise of the white SW20 of the Tokyo Phantom to float into the room._

_End of Flashback._

Ryousuke continued to stare at her. She had not wanted to drive since her parents death, and she had not sat behind the steering wheel since that night she had come to Akagi and challenged him. Now she was offering to drive. It could be good for her. Driving a car modified for racing might remind her of what she was missing. Not that she needed reminding. Yesterday was proof of that. But maybe, it could provide that little extra push she needed to make her realize she didn't have to sell the SW20.

He reached into his pocket, pulling out his car keys. He held them out to her, "Let's go." He said sternly.

"No way!" Genjo and Isamu both exclaimed in shock as Mitsu casually took Ryousuke's keys from him.

Etsuya simply eyed their friend with worry. Ryousuke was letting someone else drive his car? Although he wasn't a racing fan, he heard enough about his friend's other life to know that he never allowed anyone to drive his car but himself. Not even his much cherished younger brother.

The three friends watched as Ryousuke walked around to the passenger side of his car and climbed in. Mitsu turned to them, "Thank you for offering us a ride Isamu." She smiled, "Have a good weekend." She waved and pulled open the door.

"Bye." They all said and watched as she climbed in and shut the door. Moments later after she adjusted the seat so she could reach the pedals, and adjusted the mirrors she started the FC's engine.

The three friends stood in silence watching.

"Can you believe this?" Isamu said softly.

"No…" Etsuya and Genjo both answered him.

They continued to watch as they heard the FC's e-brake being disengaged, and Mitsu backed out of the parking stall. When the car was parallel to the three friends, Ryousuke glanced out the window at them. He gave them a curt nod before Mitsu placed the car in gear and they drove towards the exit.

"Hey! Ryousuke's girl is driving his car!" a passerby exclaimed shocked.

The three friends looked about as others gathered to stare after the white FC.

"He's going to have a nice time on Monday when he gets back!" Isamu said chuckling.

* * *

Ryousuke had his eyes set dead straight in front of him. He was tense not to mention very uncomfortable sitting on this side of his car when it was moving. He seemed to have entered a completely different world. He watched quietly as Mitsu reached the exit. She signal and smoothly turned onto the main road. They drove in silence for a few minutes before Mitsu glanced at him. 

He was sitting rigidly, one hand was holding onto the door handle while the other gripped the edge of the bucket seat.

Mitsu tried not to smile. She reached out and touched his hand, gently prying it away from the bucket seat. She held his hand firmly, "Try to get some sleep." She said softly.

"I'm fine." Ryousuke answered without removing his eyes off the road.

Mitsu squeezed his hand again, "Trust me Ryousuke-san." She said confidently.

Her tone made him turn to her. She was relaxed and looked completely at ease behind the wheel of his FC.

He removed his hand from the door handle and forced his body to relax.

Mitsu removed her hand from his to down gear.

Ryousuke smirked. He was impressed. She was adjusting to his car's clutch point and to his car in general very quickly. He settled back in his seat. Her driving was pretty smooth… His eyes closed sleepily, the sound of his FC's engine setting soothingly in his soul.

* * *

Mitsu pulled into the long driveway. She glanced into her rearview mirror when she caught sight of another set of headlights. Keisuke was pulling up behind her. She smiled and parked the white FC. She glanced out the window at Keisuke as she turned off the engine. His eyes were wide with shock as he saw her. Mitsu gave him a nod and glanced over at Ryousuke who was fast asleep. She didn't want to wake him up; he looked so at peace for the moment. 

"Ryousuke-san. We're home." She said softly touching his arm.

The young man's eyes opened as he looked around to gain his bearings, "Hai." He said and unbuckled the seat belt. He grabbed his bag and stepped out of the car. He shut the door and turned only to see Keisuke standing in front of him, blocking his way.

"You let Mitsu drive your car!?!?!" He asked incredulously.

Ryousuke nodded simply and stepped around his brother and towards the house.

"But you never let anyone drive your car! You don't let me drive it!" Keisuke exclaimed rushing after his brother.

Mitsu locked the doors and went after them.

"It's not a big deal Keisuke!" The older Takahashi declared, his frustration at having to explain his actions to his brother clearly showing. He unlocked the door to the house and stepped inside and went straight to his room.

Keisuke and Mitsu stared after him in shock.

Keisuke was the first to move as he stepped into the house to remove his shoes.

Mitsu frowned and followed his example, "Come Keisuke. I think we all need to talk." She said placing her hand on his shoulder. The young man looked at her and nodded.

"He's not usually like this." He said softly.

"I know." She said and led him upstairs towards his brother's room. She didn't bother to knock as she pushed open the door, "Ryousuke-san."

Ryousuke's head snapped up and all emotion vanished from his face as they barged into his room.

Both Mitsu and Keisuke froze just inside his room. Both had caught sight of Ryousuke sitting on his bed with his head in his hands, his fingers tangled in his hair like he was ready to pull it all out.

"Aniki…" Keisuke said worried.

"What is it Keisuke?" He asked casually as he ignored Mitsu-chan who was still staring at him in shock.

"Are you okay Aniki? I'm sorry I made you angry earlier…"

Ryousuke frowned, "I'm okay Keisuke, and I'm not upset with you." He sighed and offered his younger brother a half-hearted smile.

Mitsu turned to Keisuke now, "Keisuke-kun, now that you see that your Aniki is okay, why don't you go review the video of the course then get some rest. You'll want to be at your best tonight." She gave the younger Takahashi an encouraging smile.

Keisuke glanced at his brother, who nodded his approval, then back at Mitsu. She thought just like him…

"Don't worry…" She said softly to him as she led him out of the room.

He glanced back into the room at his brother one last time before he turning to leave, "Take care of him." He said meeting Mitsu's eyes briefly. He turned and walked to his room before she could formulate a reply.

Mitsu watched him disappear into his room before she stepped back into Ryousuke's room and shut the door. She turned to face Ryousuke. He was already off the bed and at his desk unloading his laptop and his books from his school bag.

"Is there something you need Mitsu-chan?" He asked casually as he placed his bag to the side of his desk and sat down in the chair. He turned on his laptop.

Mitsu walked up to his desk and placed his car keys on the table surface. She lowered her own school bag to the floor, "Something is really bothering you Ryousuke-san. You haven't been yourself lately. I'm sure you've had problems before and no ones noticed it, but this time, we all see it."

Ryousuke turned to give her an amused look, "Oh? Is that so?"

Mitsu nodded, "Keisuke is very worried."

"There's nothing for him to worry about." He turned back to his laptop and opened the file containing his most recent lecture notes, "Now, if there's nothing else Mitsu-chan, I have work to do before we go tonight."

Mitsu sighed and stepped closer to him. He didn't turn or acknowledge her presence. Instead, he stated entering his hand written notes into his computer.

She shook her head and gently placed a hand on his shoulder, "You know that you need the rest Ryousuke-san." She said softly as she gently applied pressure to his shoulder.

Ryousuke had stopped typing as soon as she had touched him. Of course he knew he needed to rest. But it wasn't that easy to get rest when sleep always brought with it desperately unwanted memories. Memories he seemed to have been re-living this whole week.

"Please go lie down for a little while. Try and get some more sleep before tonight."

He didn't move, so she reached across him and flipped his laptop shut. That got his attention. He turned to look at her with a cold stare. She smiled lightly, "Come." She said moving her hand down his arm and to his hand.

Ryousuke continued to watch her. Did she expect to drag him to his bed? He'd like to see her try. Instead, she simply held his hand and kept eye contact with him.

"You'll think better after you rest." She said confidently. Her thumb gently stroked his hand as she spoke. She squeezed his hand gently, "Come." She said again.

Ryousuke sighed. He couldn't argue with that fact. He really needed to be clear minded tonight. He pushed himself out of the chair, freeing his hand from Mitsu-Chan's disturbing touch in the process. He casually made his way to his bed and laid down on his back, his eyes fixing blankly on the ceiling. He waited for her to leave. She moved, but not in the direction he had hoped. He turned to see what she was doing only to find that she had grabbed her school bag and was bringing his chair towards his bed. He watched her with an indifferent stare. Now what was she up to?

"Would you mind if I stayed and studied here for a while?" She asked casually.

Ryousuke stared at her a moment unsure of her intentions. He turned to stare at the ceiling again, "I don't mind." He answered dismissively.

Mitsu smile inwardly as she nodded and reached down to grab her books out of her bag. She placed one on the mattress of his large bed and flipped it open to start her assigned reading for the weekend.

After a few minutes she glanced at Ryousuke to see that he was still staring blankly at the ceiling, the fingers of his hand fidgeting absentmindedly with his shirt. Something was obviously on his mind preventing his tired body from falling asleep.

"Ryousuke-san?" It was time to try something different.

"Mitsu-chan." He said without turning to her.

"Do you know why the primer length is so critical for a successful polymerase chain reaction?"

Ryousuke glanced at her surprised, "The primer length is critical because the specificity andthe temperature and time of annealing are at least partly dependent on it." (2).

"And the two primers have to have similar melting temperatures?"

Ryousuke nodded, "If primers are mismatched in terms of Tm, amplification will be less efficient or may not work at all since the primer with the higher Tm will mis-prime at lower temperatures and the primer with the lower Tm may not work at higher temperatures." He yawned, "The melting temperatures of oligos are most accurately calculated using nearest neighbor thermodynamic calculations" (2). He moved a hand behind his head and yawned again.

Mitsu smiled. It was working, "And there was another factor when choosing primers…"

"Hai…" Ryousuke's voice was softer this time, "You have to choose primers that have a unique sequence within the template DNA that is to be amplified…" His eyes closed and he yawned again, "A primer with a highly repetitive sequence… results in a smear when amplifying genomic DNA..." (2) His voice trailed off.

Mitsu continued to watch him as his breathing slowed and his fingers lay motionless on his stomach. She smiled he looked so innocent and harmless and nothing like the famous Takahashi Ryousuke she had heard about all her life. He also looked so unlike the cold, stoic man with whom she shared a home. She frowned when she saw his facial expression contort into one of worry or anguish or a mixture of the two. She instinctively reached out to touch him. Her hand went to his face and she touched his cheek gently, "Shh…" She soothed softly as worry creased her forehead. He seemed to relax again but she continued to watch him to make sure. When he remained sleeping, she turned to her textbook again and resumed her reading, glancing up every now and then to make sure the man sleeping before her remained at peace.

* * *

**Author's note:**

Hmm... I believe this concludes my string of slow chapters. It's time to inflict drama into their lives! Hopefully it doesn't seem to go too overboard!

Cheers,

CelicaChick!

P.S. Reviews welcomed.

**References:**

(1) MedlinePlus:

http:www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001419.htm#Symptoms

(2) The world famous PCR (for some reason the wed address won't show. Sorry.) 


	16. Chapter 16: The Red FC

**Chapter 16 – The Red FC**

She was jolted awake by the soft sound of knuckles on wood. Her eyes opened to see the door open carefully. She smiled warmly at the young blond haired man that was peeking into the room. She placed a finger to her lips in a gesture to be quiet as she motioned towards a sleeping Ryousuke with her other hand.

Keisuke's gaze moved onto his brother and he smiled. Finally asleep! He pushed the door open further to allow Mitsu to see behind him.

Mitsu's eyes widened with shock and excitement. She jumped to her feet and quickly glanced at Ryousuke to make sure she hadn't woken him and rushed towards them. She ushered Keisuke out of the room and pulled the door closed behind her, "Let him sleep until we have to go." She blurted out before throwing herself at a smiling Satoro, "You're here!" She exclaimed happily.

Satoro chuckled, "I missed you too Mitsu." He held her back tightly.

When they pulled apart he looked her over with a critical eye. He liked what he saw, "You're looking good."

"Thanks." She was smiling widely, "So do you."

"Well, I'll let you two catch up. I'm off to review the video again." Keisuke interrupted.

Mitsu nodded, "Okay see you in a bit."

"See you." Satoro also said as the best friends watched the young Takahashi nod once and head back to his room.

Mitsu turned to Satoro with a smile, "Come. Let's get you settled in." She took hold of his arm and led him towards the guestroom he had stayed in the last time he had visited.

"So…"

"Hmm?"

"I see you've become comfortable here."

"Comfortable? Yeah, I guess so." Mitsu answered shrugging. She pushed open the bedroom door and stepped inside.

"Well you definitely seem comfortable." Satoro said as he followed her into the room.

This time she frowned and turned a questioning gaze unto her friend to find him smiling cheekily, "What?"

"Nothing. Just you, sleeping comfortably in Takahashi Ryousuke's room."

Mitsu rolled her eyes and went to sit on the bed, "I was studying and I fell asleep. Besides, I only stayed there because I wanted to make sure he got some sleep." Her eyes broadened suddenly and her voices softened, "He hasn't been sleeping all that much this week."

Satoro didn't miss the change in her tone, "It's not a bad thing you know. In fact, it's great that you get along with him. Especially since you live together."

"Somehow, I doubt that was all you meant by it." Mitsu exclaimed meeting his amused gaze. She sighed and dropped onto her back on the soft mattress.

The young man watched her a moment then went to sit on the bed beside her, "Would it be so bad if you fell for him?" He asked seriously, the smile gone from his face.

Mitsu glanced at him, "Why would I fall for him?"

He shrugged. So that was how she wanted to go about it, huh? That was fine with him. He wasn't going to push her and have her change the way she acted around Takahashi Ryousuke, "So, what time are you going to race him?"

Mitsu sighed at the question, "He still insists that he's retired and besides I don't know if it would be such a good idea to race him right now… He's been really off this whole week. And look how tired he is…"

"So you're going to retire from racing without ever facing the famous white comet of Akagi? Whom, by the way, you've been hearing about for practically your whole life!"

"I don't want to, but I might have to… It's not worth it if someone gets hurt."

Satoro nodded in complete agreement. He couldn't argue with that, yet he still couldn't help feeling disappointed. It sure would have been an exciting race…

"You know, I don't understand why he won't race. I'm sure he misses it. For someone that loves racing so much and pretty much devotes all of his free time to it, you think he would embrace the challenge." She was frowning as she continued to stare up at the ceiling in confusion.

Satoro glanced at her, "Maybe for similar reasons why you're giving up racing." He tried. He saw Mitsu's jaw clench.

"He might love racing, but maybe he decided that he had to give it up to accomplish something else."

Mitsu remained silent as Satoro's words sunk into her heart.

"You and Takahashi Ryousuke are not that different. Keisuke and I both agree on that." He said as he laid back and also stared up at the white ceiling.

Mitsu bolted up into a sitting position, "You and Keisuke talked about us?!?!?!"

Satoro sat up and looked at her. He shrugged, "You guys came up."

Mitsu's gaze hardened, "You know that Keisuke is really close to his brother and is bound to repeat whatever you talked about to him right?"

"For some things, yes. But others, no." He shrugged simply.

Mitsu shook her head. She didn't want to know any more. Her gaze lowered to her fingers absentmindedly.

"So what's this about him not sleeping?" He asked deciding that it was better to change the subject when he saw her discomfort.

Mitsu was glad for the conversation's change in direction. She flopped back onto the bed with a sigh as her eyes took on a faraway look, "No one knows what's going on with him. He's been acting strangely ever sine he returned from Yahiko on Sunday. Well Monday morning." She looked at Satoro, "He didn't come back until it was time to go to school." She thought it best to omit the situation involving Jiro-san, "He did that a few times and even if he stays home, we're sure he isn't getting very much sleep because he's been really absentminded and today his classmates had to keep him awake during classes. They were so worried they wanted to drive us home. Obviously he didn't want to leave his car there overnight, so anyway, to make a long story short, I ended up driving and he fell asleep almost instantly."

"Wait! You drove?!?!?!?"

Mitsu nodded.

"The FC? His FC? The Famous White Comet?"

Mitsu nodded again and rolled her eyes but she was smiling.

"He sure must trust you! Somehow I can't see him allowing anyone to drive his car under any circumstance!"

Mitsu simply shrugged, "That's besides the point. I guess his body is finally giving up on him."

"There's no way he went a whole week without sleeping…"

"He did get a few hours here and there I'm sure. He slept a little on Wednesday for sure, but that's mainly because of all the alcohol he had."

"Alcohol?!?! He drinks?!?!?" He found this tidbit of information hard to believe. From all the things he had ever heard of the man, he would never have imagined that he would indulge himself with alcohol.

Mitsu shook her head, "Not usually. Keisuke was so worried about him…"

"What about you? Were you worried?" Satoro asked casually.

"Of course! I didn't know if he would stop Satoro… He just kept on drinking and drinking… He kept drinking and he didn't even like it… It was like he was purposely trying to get drunk."

"Maybe that was his plan."

Mitsu turned to him frowning.

"What? Maybe he was trying to forget something. Or maybe he just didn't want to think anymore. Anyway, what happened?"

Mitsu turned to look at the ceiling again, "I took his drink away from him…"

Satoro's eyes widened momentarily, then he laughed. After what he had seen her do to him and his cigarettes, it wasn't all that surprising, "I'm sure he was really happy about that!"

"He was definitely annoyed with me!"

"I bet!" He chuckled, "So what happened then? I doubt Ryousuke-san would simply let you get away with that. Wait… You got away with taking his cigs too…"

"He didn't do anything. I think the alcohol had hit him by then."

"So he just sat there and did nothing after you took his drink away?" Interesting.

Mitsu nodded. She remembered the feeling of his firm muscles under her fingers. He had a nice body she had to admit.

"Then what? He just fell asleep?" Satoro probed. He didn't miss the dreamy look in his best friend's eyes. Something had happened.

"Sort of."

Satoro frowned.

"Don't look at me like that!" Mitsu said exasperated.

"There's something you're not telling me…"

Mitsu just shrugged.

"Hmm… I'll find out sooner or later…"

She highly doubted that. She sat up, "What time is it?"

Satoro sat up as well as he glanced at his watch, "It's almost six o'clock."

"I should get something ready for dinner. Do you want to take a nap? You had a long drive."

"No, I'm fine."

"Don't be like Ryousuke-san." She warned.

Satoro smiled, "I'm a little tired but I think that'll go away after I have something to eat."

"Well then, let's get you something to eat!" Mitsu got to her feet ad motioned for her friend to follow her.

* * *

Satoro, Keisuke and Mitsu all froze at the sound of a car outside. 

"Hmm… That sounds like Fumihiro." Keisuke said and continued to load the dishwasher.

"He's really early." Mitsu said curiously.

"He's probably here to take inventory and make sure the vans are all stocked up before we leave."

"Speaking of which, shouldn't someone wake up Ryousuke-san soon?" Satoro said looking over the other two people.

Keisuke glanced at Mitsu who nodded, "I'll go." He said closing the dishwasher and turning it on before he disappeared from the room.

"We should get ready too." Mitsu said turning to Satoro. She linked her arm in his with a smile, "Let's go."

"I can't wait to see another one of their races."

Mitsu smiled, "They might be up against an FC. They saw one on Yahiko with the Kamikaze team logo."

"An FC? That would be interesting! So Keisuke's probably going to be the one to face it."

"It would make sense."

Keisuke was stepping out of his brother's room and closing the door when Satoro and Mitsu reached the landing of the second floor. He grimaced, "He's not too happy that we didn't wake him up earlier."

Mitsu shook her head, "He needed the sleep."

"Well I'm going to get ready before he gets really mad." The young Takahashi rushed to his room.

Satoro glanced at his friend, "I'll get my jacket and keys."

Mitsu nodded and went to her own room. She walked over to her desk where she had left her jacket draped over the back of her chair. She was slipping it on when her eyes landed on the white unopened letter sized envelope still lying on her desk. She continued to stare at it until a soft knock on her door snapped her out of motionless state. She turned to see Ryousuke-san stepping into her room. He casually walked towards her.

"Your books and your bag are still in my room."

"Oh… I can get them when we get back?"

He nodded and his gaze turned to the unopened envelope on her desk and the pile of purchase requests not too far away from it. He turned to look at her, "Are you ready?"

Mitsu met his gaze and nodded.

"Good." He said simply and turned away to walk out of the room.

Mitsu watched him curiously a moment before hurrying to catch up to him. They met Satoro and Keisuke in the foyer.

"Ryousuke-san. It's good to see you again." Satoro said bowing his head and extending his hand.

Ryousuke shook the other man's hand politely and nodded, "Like wise." He said simply. He turned to his brother.

Keisuke nodded, "Ready." He said and pulled open the front door.

Ryousuke watched them all step out of the house. Was Keisuke really ready for this? He stepped outside and turned to close and lock the door. He then walked after the others around the house to where the cars were parked. His eyes scanned over Fumihiro's car and he disengaged from the others to go speak with him.

They stood about talking while the other members of Project D arrived.

"Okay, everyone. Let's go." Fumihiro exclaimed. He glanced at Ryousuke when they all started to go to their cars or one of the support vans.

The man nodded, "I'll follow behind everyone."

Fumihiro nodded. He wasn't at all surprised when Ryousuke had informed him of his intentions to drive to Yahiko tonight. Something was on his mind, and in such cases, the probability of him driving was always very high. He watched as his friend went to the white FC and climbed in before he made his way to the van he was going to drive.

Mitsu watched curiously from the passenger side of Satoro's car, "He's going to drive…"

Satoro glanced over at her and then out her window. Takahashi Ryousuke was motioning for them to go first. He nodded and placed his car in reverse. He followed Takumi's Hachiroku and Keisuke's FD down the long driveway. Behind Satoro and Mitsu, the three support vans were followed by the white FC.

* * *

Mitsu was staring out the window at the sea. The Seaside Line was a beautiful road to drive on because of its view. They entered another tunnel. 

"Any idea if the course they're running is going to include any tunnels? There seems to be quite a few here."

"I don't know. I didn't see the video of the course." Mitsu answered.

They came out of the tunnel.

The sky was a mixture of dark blue, purple, red, orange and yellow, remnants of the recently set sun.

"The view is beautiful…" She sighed.

Satoro glanced over at her a brief second. She had a dreamy look on her face. He smiled and turned back to the road. They reached an empty parking lot. To the right was a small structure for the public washrooms. To the left, a log cabin with a sign that read 'West Wind Paragliding and Hand Gliding'. To the left of this building was another road. He followed Keisuke and Takumi down the said road to another small parking lot. This one on the other hand, was not empty.

"There's the red FC…" Mitsu said softly as her eyes landed on the dark red car parked by a black S2000. Several other cars with the Kamikaze team stickers were parked to one side. The people, most likely the drivers, all turned to watch as they entered the area and gathered on the opposite side of the parking lot.

"I wonder if that S2000 is going to be racing too."

"Against the Hachiroku? That would be interesting too. But… I didn't see any team stickers on it…"

"Maybe it's a sleeper." Satoro suggested.

"Could be…"

Satoro parked and turned off the car. They both climbed out and turned to look at Keisuke and Takumi who had both made their way to one of the support units where Ryousuke was waiting.

"Come on." Mitsu said as she motioned for Satoro to follow her.They walked up to the rest of the team.

"Fumihiro." Ryousuke said turning to the man.

"Hai." He said and turned. He smiled at Mitsu and walked passed her towards the other team to make the introductions and let them know they were going to start their practice runs.

Ryousuke turned to Takumi and Keisuke, "Perform at 80 percentfor the first ten runs. Then report back." He looked up towards the other team.

Mitsu noticed his hard gaze. She turned to see Fumihiro coming back to join them.

"Okay, we have the course for the rest of the night." He informed Ryousuke who nodded. His expression remained hard.

"Two of them are heading this way." Matsumoto informed them suddenly.

They all turned to the approaching visitors.

Mitsu's gaze swept over the young woman first. Her brown hair fell a little past her shoulder blades and she was quite pretty. Her eyes moved onto the man walking closely to her side… Short dark hair that framed a face with chiseled cheekbones. He radiated with confidence… Masuko Roku!

"YOU!" Keisuke exclaimed.

Mitsu glanced at him. Keisuke's eyes were blazing with hatred and anger, both his hands were balled into fists at his side and his jaw was clenched. He looked like he was ready to pounce on the man and woman approaching them.

"Fumihiro, let's get started." Ryousuke's voice was stern and void of emotion.

"Hai." He turned to the others, "You heard Ryousuke-san, let's go!" He ordered.

Takumi looked at the couple one last time as they stopped in front of the two Takahashi brothers. They obviously knew each other.

"Keisuke, go get ready." Ryousuke ordered without looking at his brother.

"Aniki!"

"Now, Keisuke."

Keisuke cursed and stomped away.

Mitsu watched stunned. She had never heard Ryousuke-san talk to his younger brother so sternly before. She glanced at Satoro, "Let's go." She said softly.

Satoro followed Mitsu to where the other members had congregated by the FD and the Hachiroku. Once there she turned and stood watching Ryousuke-san and the couple. He stood with his arms crossed as he listened to whatever the young lady was saying. The man offered his hand, but Ryousuke didn't shake it. She saw his lips move as he spoke then he uncrossed his arms, turned and walked away from them.

He re-joined them.

"Aniki?" Keisuke walked up to his brother, "You knew didn't you?"

Ryousuke nodded simply, "Now is not the time Keisuke. You need to concentrate on getting used to this course." He looked towards Fumihiro.

"We're ready."

"Okay. Get going." Ryousuke ordered. He looked at his brother again. Keisuke was watching him with worry.

"What did they want?"

"Keisuke…" Ryousuke sighed, "You should be focusing on the course."

"How can I! After what they did!" He replied his anger re-surfacing.

Ryousuke stared at his brother a moment, then he placed a hand on his shoulder, "A good racer can put his feelings aside and concentrate on the task at hand. You have to learn to control your emotions Keisuke." His younger brother gaze lowered, "Go now." He said more gently this time.

"Hai." Keisuke sighed. He looked at his brother one last time and went to the FD.

Ryousuke watched as the Hachiroku followed by the FD took off out of the parking lot. He turned to look at the other team, specifically at two people in particular. They were standing close to each other talking. He turned and walked towards the guardrail where he could look out at the sea.

Mitsu turned to her best friend, "I'll be right back."

Satoro nodded and watched as she walked towards Takahashi Ryousuke. He smiled.

* * *

Mitsu stopped beside him, "So he's here." She said casually as she glanced up at him. He made no move to acknowledge her, "Keisuke said to stay away from him." 

Ryousuke glanced at her, "You two have been talking."

Mitsu nodded, "A little. I know that he really doesn't like him. He said that Masuko Roku was bad news."

"Keisuke is taking things to heart." He looked out at the sea, "Masuko Roku is not a bad person."

Mitsu frowned. How could he say that when his brother seemed to hate the man and when he himself seemed affected by him.

"I'm glad you think that Ryousuke-kun."

Mitsu turned sharply at the sound of the feminine voice behind them. She bumped into Ryousuke in the process, "Oops, sorry Ryousuke-san." She said glancing at him before turning her gaze back on the young lady now standing before them.

The woman smiled and bowed before she extended her hand, "Hi, I'm Oonishi Amaya From the Kamikaze Racers." She introduced as she took a quick analytical look at the woman standing by Ryousuke.

"Fukotomi Mitsu." She said as she shook her hand.

Amaya smiled and looked at Ryousuke, "She's pretty. Has a firm handshake. Very confident and self-assured."

"Amaya…" Ryousuke shook his head.

The young woman smiled lightly, "Sorry." She apologized.

Mitsu watched them curiously. From the way they were addressing each other and by the way they spoke to each other it was clear that they had been very close once. Maybe they still were.

"So Mitsu-chan, are you a racing fan?"

Mitsu shrugged, "I like to watch every now and then."

Amaya smiled, "Good." She turned to Ryousuke and her smile faded, "I know you wanted to keep this professional Ryousuke-kun, but we really should talk about it."

"There's nothing to discuss Amaya. It's the past. It doesn't matter."

"Of course there is! And it obviously matters because you don't want to talk!"

Ryousuke met her gaze, "What is there to say?"

Amaya held his gaze a moment before it lowered to the ground.

Mitsu felt Ryousuke's light touch on her back. She glanced up at him curiously.

"Let's go." He said motioning for them to head back to where the rest of the team was.

She nodded and they started walking.

"Ryousuke-kun."

The young man stopped and glanced back.

"I'm sorry." Amaya said softly, sincerely.

Ryousuke met her gaze, "There is no need to apologize Amaya. It's no one's fault." He held her gaze a moment longer then turned away. Mitsu was waiting for him a few feet away. He joined her and they walked towards the team.

"She seems nice."

Ryousuke walked silently by her side. His face was expressionless.

They reached the others and Mitsu went to see Satoro while Ryousuke went to talk to Fumihiro who was staring at the screen of a laptop.

Within minutes, the distinct sound of a rotary engine reving caught all of their attention.

Mitsu and Satoro looked across the small parking lot at the red FC. Oonishi Amaya was sitting behind the wheel looking over in their direction. She turned to look back at Ryousuke-san. The man's gaze was on the car, maybe the driver, before he casually turned his attention back to the information recorded on the laptop. He began speaking to Fumihiro again.

Beside the red FC, the black S2000 had also started and Masuko Roku sat at the wheel. The FC pulled out, and with the S2000 following, left the parking lot.

"So, what happened?" Satoro asked turning to her.

"Nothing really. She introduced herself and wanted to speak with Ryousuke-san."

"And I'm guessing he didn't want to?"

Mitsu nodded. She turned to Ryousuke-san again. He looked as he always did. Like nothing in the world could shake him. But she knew differently. He hid his emotions well…

* * *

Author's note: 

Strange how you can imagine a whole scene in your mind and things seem great but then you put it on paper and somehow it becomes completely different.

Hana Tenshi, Niema: LOL You guys are my support units!!!

Kaede Rukawa - I'm not sure if I replied to you. But I agree with you. I'll have to go back and fix that part and repost. Thanks for the advice!

Cheers,

CelicaChick.


	17. Chapter 17: Healing

**Chapter 17 – Healing**

Fujiwara Takumi yawned. Almost there… Then he could head back home and get some sleep. He finally reached the large parking lot at the top of Mount Akina. He made his way towards the restaurant and the Manager's silver BMW parked at the front doors. Then, out of the corner of his line of view, he noticed something out of place. Upon turning his head he recognized the white FC of Takahashi Ryousuke parked parallel to the lake.

"Hmm? What is he doing here?" He turned the car in the other man's direction and parked behind him. He stepped out of the car and shut the door, "Ryousuke-san?"

Takahashi Ryousuke turned to him unexpectedly. He nodded an acknowledgement. After the team had finished at Yahiko, a restless Ryousuke had decided to go for a drive. Knowing his ever persistent and worried brother wanted to talk to him about Amaya, he thought it best not to go to Akagi to vent his frustrations. So here he was on Akina.He had planned to leave before Fujiwara would be expected to arrive. It seemed though, that he had lost track of the time. His left hand reached into his pocket, "I was just about to go." He said casually.

Takumi continued to look at him curiously, "Ryousuke-san, would you wait for me to finish my deliveries? If you don't mind there are a few things I wanted to ask you."

Ryousuke's brow rose curiously. He nodded.

Takumi nodded in return and went back to his car. He climbed in and drove to the restaurant. Once inside, he quickly called Takahashi Keisuke, before he proceeded to unload the tofu from the car.

* * *

Again, he had lost track of time. It wasn't until he heard the sound of another car approaching that he snapped out of his thoughts and focused on his surrounding. The car had been modified slightly… A Honda engine… Hmm… Nothing impressive. He continued to stare out at the quiet lake.

* * *

"There he is." Keisuke said already unbuckling his safety harness. 

Satoro parked behind the FC and they climbed out of the car.

"Aniki!" Keisuke called and went to him.

Ryousuke turned to him. He glanced past his brother at Satoro and Mitsu who were also approaching. He then turned to look to his other side and saw Fujiwara Takumi driving his car towards them. He frowned, "You should be home resting for tomorrow Keisuke."

"Let's see your hand Ryousuke-san." Mitsu said stepping up to him and taking a firm hold of his right hand.

He turned to her in surprise. What was she doing? It was then that he noticed the blood. He frowned. His knuckles were pretty scratched up and he had at least one cut that would probably require a stitch or two.

"Come." Mitsu pulled him towards the closest bench.

He glanced over at his brother. Satoro and Takumi had joined him and they were talking. He sighed inwardly and reluctantly followed Mitsu who forced him to sit down. She sat on the bench facing him, and finally released his hand. His eyes landed on the blue first air bag she was opening. She had known. Ryousuke glanced up at Takumi again and he resisted shaking his head.

Mitsu pulled out some sterilized gauze to wipe away the excess blood around the wound and on his long fingers. He had been bleeding for quite a while now. The flow of blood had slowed considerably. She reached for the small steritube of antiseptic wash. She twisted off the top and took hold of his hand again, "This might sting a little." She warned gently as she held his hand over the ground and poured the liquid over the wounds on his knuckles. She felt him twitch slightly but otherwise he didn't make any other movement or utter a single word.

She took out some more gauze and dried his hand. There was one wound that required stitches. It slowly started to bleed again. She reached for some more gauze and applied it to the wound as she dug in the first aid bag for something.

Ryousuke looked into the bag. She had quite an extensive first aid kit.

Mitsu pulled out a pair of tweezers and resumed her work on his hand. She pulled out a small foreign body. She glanced up at their surroundings. A tree stood nearby. She looked at the tiny object again before she dropped it on the ground. So his victim had been a tree…

"Are you going to go to the clinic?" She asked casually as she worked to clean his wounds of any debris.

"No."

Mitsu nodded, "I'll put some steristrips on it then." She said simply. His answer didn't surprise her at all. She looked over his hand one last time. It would be best to be safe. She reached into the bag for an antiseptic swab and pulled open the small wound for one last attempt at making sure it was clean. Satisfied she applied two small pieces of steristrip to pull the wound close.

Ryousuke was about to thank her but she didn't release his hand. Instead she reached back into her first aid bag to pull out some more gauze and some medical tape. She covered the wound but she still didn't release his hand. She grabbed a roll of self-adhesive wrap and bandaged his hand. She finally released his hand then.

"The bruising has already started." She said softly as she packed the first aid kit.

"Arigato, Mitsu-chan." Ryousuke said softly.

Mitsu nodded and looked up at him, "What happened?" She asked softly.

His gaze lowered and he remained silent.

Mitsu placed a hand on his arm.

Ryousuke's eyes closed at the warm touch, "What did Keisuke tell you?"

Mitsu frowned. He knew. She sighed, "He told us that she's your ex-girlfriend from high school."

"Is that all?" He sounded skeptical.

Mitsu nodded, "He didn't want you to get mad at him." She watched him silently. His face remained expressionless but she could feel a strong emotion emanating from him, "Amaya-chan and Masuko Roku are dating?"

Ryousuke glanced at her briefly and nodded.

"For six years now?"

He nodded again. He knew she had pieced everything together now. There was no point in trying to hide anything from her. He stiffened when he felt her lean towards him and place her head on his shoulder with a sigh.

"No wonder Keisuke hates them so much… They really hurt you…" She said softly as she tenderly rubbed her hand up and down his back.

"He shouldn't hate them. Feelings change." His voice was calm.

Mitsu glanced at him then. She sighed, "Have yours?"

Ryousuke looked down at her. He met her soft brown eyes. Had his feelings towards Amaya changed? The question caused his heart to race.

They stared at each other a moment longer.

Mitsu straightened and she touched his arm again, "It's okay to admit you still love her. The way I see it, no one ever falls out of love. Usually when people think they don't love someone anymore it's because the person has changed so much from the person they fell in love with. So in a way you're always in love with the person you fell for even though they may no longer exist." She met his gaze, "The question now is, has Amaya-chan or yourself changed or are you the same people as six years ago?"

Ryousuke casually looked away. He didn't need to answer her; she had already known the answer before asking the question. How could either of them remain the same? He frowned suddenly and looked at her from the corner of his eyes. She was staring out at the lake, the moonlight shining softly on her delicate features. She had purposely asked the question to make him think and realize that neither him, nor Amaya, were the same two people that had fallen in love with each other a long time ago… No. They had changed and he was definitely no longer in love with her. He was sure of that. But… It still hurt.

"Something is preventing you from letting go Ryousuke-san…" She said turning those gentle, yet at the same time, intense brown eyes onto him.

He met her gaze with defiance. He watched as one of her brows slowly raised and she stared at him with interest.

"You don't go on any social outing, unrelated to racing, and you don't date. I think." She said reflectively, "You're worried it might happen again…" She searched his face for a reaction and saw the stoic look in his eyes fliquer. She reached up and touched his face. He was afraid of being hurt again, to go through that much pain…

Ryousuke pulled away and stood up. He took a step back.

Mitsu noticed his gaze harden instantly and he looked past her. She turned to see Satoro, Keisuke and Takumi approaching them.

"Aniki, Takumi-kun's going to leave now." Keisuke said looking over his brother. His right hand had been excellently bandaged by Mitsu.

Ryousuke nodded, "We'll see you tomorrow." He said casually.

"Hai." Takumi nodded and turned to leave.

"Fujiwara."

Ryousuke's stern voice stopped him in his tracks. He turned to look at the man. His dark eyes stared directly into his.

"Did you not have something to ask me?"

A blush came over the teenager's face. Ryousuke-san hadn't forgotten and he knew it had been a lie to keep him here.

Ryousuke nodded, "See you tomorrow." He said simply.

Takumi nodded and rushed to his car.

Mitsu turned to the rest of them, "Let's go home."

Keisuke turned to look at his older brother who nodded, "I'm coming with you Aniki."

Ryousuke glanced at his younger brother and nodded simply. He moved towards his car and unlocked the doors. He climbed in and started the engine as his brother also entered the vehicle. He glanced in his rear view mirror to see that Satoro and Mitsu were ready. He placed the car in gear and started for the exit.

* * *

Ryousuke sat on his bed and stared down at his bandaged hand. He had struck the tree trunk in frustration. All his thoughts were swirling incomprehensively in his mind at that time, and all he wanted was for them to come back under his control. He touched the white bandage softly. Before Mitsu had come to tend to his injury, he had been completely overwhelmed with his thoughts. Everything seemed so clear now. Getting to his feet again, he walked over to the patio doors. He pulled them open and walked to the railing. He looked over the cars parked down below, his eyes stopping to rest on the white SW20. Turning on his heels, he re-entered the house and left his room to go to Mitsu's. He looked down the hall before knocking lightly on her door. 

It opened softly and Mitsu looked up at him surprised, "Ryousuke-san."

He nodded, "Can I come in?" He asked casually.

"Ah… Hai." She said getting over her surprise and pulling the door open so that he could enter. She glanced down the empty hall and shut the door behind him. Ryousuke was by her desk, "Ryousuke-san?" She slowly walked up to him. He was staring at something. She followed his gaze to the unopened white envelope. She unconsciously stiffened. She watched as Ryousuke's left hand reached out and touched it. He did not pick it up but pushed it towards her.

He turned and looked at her, "Your parents wanted to tell you something Mitsu-chan." He said softly. She continued to stare at the envelope, "Read what they have to say."

Mitsu shook her head and turned to look at Ryousuke, "I can't…" Her voice was wavering.

His left hand moved to touch her cheek delicately as though if he touched her too much she would break, "Yes, you can." He said confidently.

Mitsu's eyes lowered and she turned to look at the envelope.

Ryousuke moved to pick it up. Mitsu's eyes followed it as he held it to her, "It's okay…"

She gingerly took it from him with wavering fingers and slowly moved to go sit on her bed.

Ryousuke pulled out her chair and rolled it to her bedside. He sat down andsilently waited and watched her.

Several minutes later she moved. One slender finger slipped under the flap of the envelope and pried it open. She glanced at Ryousuke.

He nodded and leaned back in the chair to give her some privacy.

Mitsu lowered her gaze to the white sheet of paper she was unfolding. Her eyes focused on the two familiar handwriting. Both her parents had written to her… Her vision blurred with tears.

A firm warm touch made her look up at Ryousuke. He had placed a hand on her shoulder in encouragement. She smiled weakly and he removed his hand. He got up from the chair and walked over to the window. He glanced at her one more time before staring out. Mitsu watched him then she lowered her gaze back to the letter and began to read.

Ryousuke looked down at the four cars. Keisuke could use this next race to learn to control his emotions. Like Kenta he needed to learn to lower his arousal level for optimal performance. Too much intensity was destructive. Then again…

Masuko Roku. The probability that he had trained 'her' was very high.

He shut his eyes. What was he thinking? He knew the answer already. It was only logical to match Amaya and her FC against-"

"Ryousuke-san…"

His eyes opened and he turned to Mitsu. She had folded the letter and was holding it limply. Tears were quietly sliding down her soft cheeks. He made his way to her and sat down beside her on the bed.

Even before his full weight had been placed on the mattress, Mitsu had buried her face in the crook of his neck. A little stunned, he wrapped his arm around her and stroked her back gently.

"They knew, Ryousuke-san… They knew about… Everything…" She choked.

"Mmm…"

"You knew…" She didn't look at him.

"No." He glanced down at her. His injured hand moved to wipe the tears from her cheek, "But our fathers are best friends. I assumed, yours would allow you to race as mine does."

Mitsu sighed, "They said it was okay…" She fingered his shirt, "That racing was part of me… And that…" Her voice wavered.

Ryousuke moved to wipe the tears form her face again.

"That they loved me…" She broke into a flurry of tears again.

Ryousuke pulled her closer. He didn't know what to do to ease her pain, so he simply held her quietly until she calmed.

"Ryousuke-san…"

He glanced down at her. She was staring at his shirt shyly, "Hmm?"

She turned her head up to meet his gaze, "Thank you." She said softly.

Ryousuke froze as her breath touched his skinwhen she spoke those words.

Vanilla and roses…

"Mitsu…" His injured hand reached to touch her cheek again. So soft… Delicate…

Her eyes continued to stare into his. Her body was tingling everywhere. She leaned into his warm touch and her eyes closed as she reveled in the feeling. Her eyes opened hazily as she felt his warm breath on her skin.

Their lips brushed ever so lightly.

"Mitsu-chan?" A soft muffled male voice called followed by gentle knocking.

Ryousuke and Mitsu jerked away from each other breathless. They stared at each with a dazed expression. It slowly changed into shock as the realization of what had just happened settled in their brains.

"Mitsu-chan?" the voice called again.

Ryousuke jumped to his feet and stepped back unsurely.

"Keisuke…" Mitsu said softly as she also got to her feet and made her way to the door. She pulled it open slightly.

"Oh good you're still awake. I thought maybe you had fallen asleep already." The young Takahashi said smiling. His smile suddenly vanished and his eyes widened in shock.

Mitsu frowned. What was wrong with him? Then she felt 'his' presence. She glanced upwards and slightly behind her to see Ryousuke standing there. Expressionless. She stepped aside.

"Keisuke. You're still awake?" He said casually looking over his brother.

Keisuke nodded dumbly and looked from his brother to Mitsu and back to his brother again. What was he doing here? He turned to Mitsu again and noticed her red puffy eyes and her flushed cheeks.

"Aniki?"

Ryousuke turned his gaze onto his brother, "Don't stay up too long Keisuke." He said simply and turned to Mitsu, "Good night Mitsu-chan." He said bowing his head slightly.

"Good night." She answered softly.

Ryousuke nodded and stepped past his brother and went to his room. The door closed softly behind him.

Keisuke turned to Mitsu, "Were you crying? Aniki didn't…"

Mitsu smiled, "Of course not." She turned and walked into the room, "So what's on your mind?"

"Nothing. I just wanted to thank you. My Aniki was very relaxed on the drive home. He didn't seem so tense when I brought up Amaya-san or Roku-san." He smiled again, "So I wanted to thank you, that's all."

Mitsu smiled lightly, "I didn't do anything Keisuke. You give me too much credit."

The young man shrugged, "If I had brought up those two anytime before tonight, he probably would have walked away or avoided the subject somehow. But tonight, he didn't." He met her curious gaze, "Whatever the two of you talked about tonight at Akina, it changed him." He smiled, "So thank you." He bowed appreciatively.

"Don't do that Keisuke-kun. It makes me feel embarassed!" She blushed.

Keisuke straightened and saw the deep blush on her face. He chuckled, "Sorry. Anyway, I should go. Goodnight Mitsu!" he said and turned to leave. He shut the door quietly after him leaving Mitsu to stare at it dumbfounded. Her hand moved to touch her lips. They still tingled from his touch…

* * *

Keisuke yawned and stretched his arms over his head. He sighed and looked across the bed at his clock: 10:48am. His stomach growled. Frowning he pushed himself out of bed and went to his closet to search for something clean to wear. He grabbed the first shirt and pants he could find and changed into them. Pulling his door opened he glanced down the empty hall. Everyone's bedroom doors were still closed. 

"Morning."

Keisuke turned to look to his right. Satoro was exiting the washroom, "Aa, good morning Satoro-san." He said smiling, "I guess I'm the last one to wake up?"

The other man shook his head, "Actually you're the second one. I don't think Mitsu or your brother are up yet."

Surprise filled the young Takahashi's face, "What?!?! My Aniki is still asleep?!?!? Impossible!" He stepped out of his room and quickly made his way to his brother's room and knocked on the door before pushing it open without waiting for a reply. He gasped as his eyes widened unbelievably.

Ryousuke pushed himself to a sitting position with a yawn, "What is it Keisuke?" He asked in a sleep laden husky voice.

"You… You're still sleeping! At this hour!!??!?" He exclaimed rushing into the room to stand in front of his brother, "Are you ill Aniki?" He asked worried.

Ryousuke finally looked up at him, "No." He answered simply and glanced over at the clock.

"But… You never sleep in! Not since we were really little!"

Ryousuke smiled, "I'm tired Keisuke. That's all."

His brother continued to stare at him unsurely.

"I'm going to sleep some more. Why don't you go eat something then study the video." He suggested as he lowered himself to the bed again and closed his eyes.

"Aniki…"

"I'll be up soon Keisuke." He said simply without opening his eyes. He was having such a good sleep…

Keisuke watched him a minute longer before turning and leaving the room. He glanced one last time at his brother than pulled the door closed. Strange… But he did look refreshed, he had to admit. He shoved his hands in his pocket and made his way downstairs to the kitchen. He walked over to the fridge and pulled it open. What could he eat…

"Hey Keisuke, look who I found still sleeping!" Satoro exclaimed pulling a sleepy looking Mitsu still dressed in her pajamas into the kitchen.

Keisuke smiled, "Morning!" He said cheerfully. He walked up to Mitsu and placed his head on her shoulder, "You look beautiful this morning Mitsu-chan!"

Mitsu looked at him frowning, "You're hungry aren't you?"

Keisuke straightened and smiled while he nodded.

Satoro laughed, "I guess you don't cook."

Keisuke smirked, "I can so cook…"

Satoro stared at him unsurely.

Mitsu sighed, "I'll make you something Keisuke-kun." She said as she punched his shoulder playfully and walked over to the fridge.

Keisuke followed her, "You know Ryousuke's still sleeping."

Mitsu continued to look in the fridge, "Oh?" She said as casually as possible.

"Aa. And he looked really good too." He glanced at Satoro with a smile before turning to look at Mitsu again.

"That's good." She pulled outthe carton of eggs.

Keisuke continued to look at her with that plastered smile. His eyes followed her around the kitchen.

"Keisuke-kun?"

"Hai?"

"If you're done staring at me, would you mind making some coffee or tea?"

Satoro chuckled as Keisuke snapped to attention. He also moved into the kitchen and started to prepare the table.

* * *

Ryousuke's eyes opened slowly, his eyes adjusting to the brightness of the room. If he had known he was going to sleep this well, he would have closed the heavy drapes to block out the daylight. He turned to glance at the clock. His eyes widened slightly. He had slept that long!?!? He was amazed. He turned to stare at the ceiling again as last nights events replayed in his mind. Seeing Amaya again… Next to Roku-san… But that was okay now… He moved to push off the covers and that's when he felt the dull pain and stiffness in his hand. He looked down at the white bandage and the memory of Mitsu gently and expertly tending to his wounds replayed in his mind. She would be a great doctor… He stiffened… Oh no… He could still smell the vanilla and roses and her soft lips... 

Ryousuke jumped to his feet and hurried around the room to get a change of clothes. He needed a shower to clear his mind. He was losing control of himself. How could he have let this happen! He rushed out and went to the bathroom.

He emerged almost half an hour later satisfied. He understood now. It all made sense because it was so logical. He couldn't believe that it hadn't come to him sooner. Strolling back to his room with a light-footed gait, he was happily convinced that everything was again back under his control.

He neatly placed his things away and left his room again to go downstairs. He could hear Keisuke laughing downstairs along with Satoro. He walked around the corner and entered the kitchen.

"Aniki! Guess what, Mitsu has a legion of female fans too!" Keisuke said laughing.

Ryousuke only looked at him as he walked into the kitchen.

Mitsu got to her feet, "Coffee or tea?" She asked glancing briefly at him before lowering her gaze.

"I'll get it." Ryousuke said and moved to the counter to get himself a cup. He was pouring himself some tea when he addressed his brother's strange statement, "You're not being very specific Keisuke."

"Aa. Because no one's seen the Tokyo phantom, people assume she's a guy. And Satoro says the Phantom's website gets tons of e-mail love letters addressed to Mitsu from girls."

"Some are pretty explicit too!" Satoro added chuckling.

Keisuke nodded, "One girl said she wanted to…"

"Okay. That's enough. I really don't think Ryousuke-san needs to hear these things." Mitsu said as colour filled her cheeks.

Keisuke looked at her curiously, "It's okay. Aniki and me get those kinds of e-mail too. But it's funnier to hear that you get them." He couldn't stop smiling when he thought about it.

Satoro was also smiling. He turned to look at Ryousuke who was sipping his tea quietly. There seemed to be a sense of peace surrounding him this morning.

"Great. Thanks Keisuke." She said sarcastically as she stuck her tongue out at him.

Keisuke was taken aback, "Did you just stick your tongue out at me?!??!"

Mitsu shrugged and picked up her cup of coffee.

Satoro watched her curiously. She too seemed different this morning, "So did you choose someone last night?" He asked suddenly.

Mitsu lowered her cup to the table. She looked up at her best friend, "I… I decided not to sell it." She saw the look of shock on his face, "I'm sorry Satoro! I know you did so much work setting everything up. And I asked you to do all these things for me…"

"Mitsu…"

"… and all at the last minute, and you were busy, and you still did it and it all seems such a waste,"

"Mitsu…"

"… I'm sorry I wasted so much of your time, I really was going to sell it…"

"MITSU!" Satoro half yelled to get her to stop.

The young lady stared at him with worry. He was mad…

Satoro laughed when he saw her reaction. He moved his chair towards her and pulled her into his arms, "My goodness Mitsu! Do you honestly think I'd be mad! I'm GLAD you're not selling your car! I'm glad you finally got some sense knocked into you!" He pulled away and smiled, "So, what changed your mind?" He asked curiously. He stole a quick glance at Ryousuke. The man was staring quietly down into his cup of tea.

"My parents…" She answered softly.

Keisuke and Satoro exchanged looks.

"Well anyway, I'm glad you're not going to sell it. Except it would have been nice if you had gotten an FD…"

Mitsu laughed, "You and your FD!"

Keisuke smiled and nodded.

Mitsu pushed out her chair, getting to her feet she collected her empty bowl and her cup and carried them over to the dishwasher.

Ryousuke moved away from the counter, stepping around the table he started towards the exit. He stopped and looked at his brother, "When you're done Keisuke, come to my room, we'll go over the course."

"Hai." The younger brother answered and watched as his Aniki then left them. He exchanged a curious look with Satoro and both men turned to look at Mitsu.

"What?" She looked at the two of them suspiciously.

"Both you and Ryousuke-san are different this morning." Satoro said studying her.

"Oh?"

Keisuke nodded fervently, "Aniki hasn't been this relaxed since well… before you came along."

"Thanks…" Mitsu said frowning.

Keisuke smiled, "Yeah, well you and your little secret about being the Tokyo Phantom had him on his guard. He knew you were hiding something the day we met, you know."

Mitsu nodded, "Yeah I got that feeling."

"So… Getting back to the point… Did something happen?" Satoro asked wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

Mitsu frowned, "Don't start." She warned. She was trying desperately to keep a calm exterior. She glanced at Keisuke and hoped he wasn't going to join in this line of questioning. She decided the best way to prevent it would be to change the focus of the conversation, "Keisuke, what exactly happened between Ryousuke-san, Amaya-chan and Roku-san?"

"Um… What did Aniki tell you?" He asked cautiously.

"I know that Amaya-chan and Roku-chan started dating the same year Ryousuke-san and her broke up. I assumed it was because of Roku-san, but I didn't ask him."

Keisuke nodded. His eyes had grown ice cold, "Right after his graduation, my Aniki was invited to tryout for a professional team in Tochigi. Masuko Roku was among the few other drivers also there. Amaya went with him, but when he came home, he came back alone." Keisuke's voice was as cold as the icy look in his eyes, "Apparently, while he was on the track, she had formed quite an attachment to Masuko Roku." His hands were balled into fists.

Mitsu reached across the table and took his hand in hers, "That's not why he declined their offer I hope…"

Keisuke shook his head, "Tsugumi said that he told her he declined the offer because it conflicted with him becoming a doctor and that he didn't want to be thrown into a world where racing became corrupt."

"He wanted to keep racing in its purest form…" Satoro said softly. Takahashi Ryousuke was definitely worth all his admiration.

"He came back a different person…" Keisuke said as he recalled the past, "That whole summer… It was like he had completely forgotten that anyone existed. He spent all his time driving on Akagi and every evening racing anyone he could find. He only came home to sleep…"

"The Famous Lone White Comet of Akagi…" Satoro added.

Keisuke nodded simply, "He was good before, but he became better then. But he was never happy… The pain I saw in his eyes… Sometimes I was so scared he would do something drastic… I don't ever want to see him like that again…"

Mitsu wrapped her arms around him, "He loved her…"

Keisuke nodded, "And look what she did to him!" His anger flared.

Mitsu pulled him closer. She stroked his back gently to calm him. His whole body was shaking with his anger. Was this also why he found girls to be a distraction? She couldn't help but believe it did when she recalled a past conversation they hadbut specifically oneline in particular:

"_. . . I know what can happen when women enter a racer's life."_

"Your brother is alright now. That's all that matters Keisuke-kun…" She said softly. She felt his body's tremors subside.

Keisuke glanced at her, "That's because you said something to him…"

Mitsu smiled, "It's because he figured something out." She corrected him.

Keisuke frowned, "What?"

"You'd have to ask him that." She ruffled his hair and he jerked back to spike up his hair again, "Anyway, now that all your bellies are nice and full, I'm going to get changed." She got to her feet and left the kitchen.

The two guys watched her go.

"She's falling for your brother you know."

Keisuke turned to the other man, "She said that?"

"What? Of course not! But I can tell. I've never seen her act around any guy the way she asks around Ryousuke-san. She cares about him and about you."

Keisuke smiled, "We care about her too." He turned serious then, "Satoro-san, you won't tell anyone about what happened between my brother and Amaya will you? He's very private…"

"I've noticed. No, I won't say anything." Satoro absentmindedly turned his cup, "Keisuke?"

"Yeah?"

Satoro hesitated, "You'd be okay with Mitsu dating your brother right?"

Keisuke met his gaze quietly, "I like her and I don't believe she would do anything to hurt him..."

"But?"

"But, my Aniki is not going to let himself fall for her, or anyone else."

"And how would you know that?" Satoro asked frowning.

"Because once his mind is set on something, he goes through with it. And he's dead set on not falling for a girl."

"He said that?"

Keisuke nodded.

"Is that why you don't date either?"

Keisuke sharply turned his gaze onto him.

"Umm… Mitsu told me you didn't date… Sorry, it just came up one day when I was asking her about you guys. I was curious to know if you guys were really as popular as all the magazines say you guys are. Sorry." He bowed his head apologetically. He kept his head lowered until he heard Keisuke start to laugh. He glanced up, confused.

"You're a fan!" He pointed at him and laughed even harder.

Satoro smirked, "I admit it okay. Geez you don't have to laugh!"

Keisuke continued to laugh.

"Okay, okay! Are you done yet?"

Keisuke slowly calmed, "I can't believe you're a fan."

"I'm not anymore now that I know how mean you can be."

Keisuke just smiled and raised his cup of coffee to his lips. He hoped Satoro had forgotten his question.

"So… You'd be okay with the idea of your brother and Mitsu dating then?"

Keisuke lowered his cup to the table, "If it ever happened, which I highly doubt it would unless he miraculously changed his mind, then yeah, I'd be okay with it."

"Then we'll have to change his mind. Mitsu's done it before, so it's not impossible."

Keisuke quirked a brow, "Really? When?"

Satoro frowned, "Mitsu didn't tell you she drove Ryousuke's FC?"

"I know about that. So… You're saying that she convinced him to let her drive it?"

Satoro smiled and nodded.

Keisuke seemed to think that piece of information over, "You know, she did convince him that he should stop smoking. Did you notice that he hasn't had a cigarette yet? He hasn't smoked since that time she took his cigs and broke them, remember?"

Satoro nodded, "He hasn't. Well she definitely must have changed his mind then too! See there's hope!"

Keisuke shrugged, "We'll see."

* * *

Mitsu stepped out of her room dressed in a pair of black athletic pants and a white hooded sweater. The whole time she had been getting ready she had been mulling over all the information Keisuke had provided. She simply couldn't get several naggingthoughts out of her mind. She stopped in the hallway and looked towards the door of the bedroom next to hers. She knocked on the door and waited for his casual reply to enter. She turned the doorknob and pushed open the door. 

Ryousuke glanced up from his laptop and nodded once as she entered.

She shut the door and walked over to him, "Keisuke told us what happened with Amaya-chan." She said casually.

Ryousuke nodded without stopping the inputting of information into his laptop for his latest race simulation for tonight's battle.

"I know why Keisuke finds girls to be such a distraction. It's not only because it takes his focus off of racing is it? Because you dated and raced so he knew it could be done." She kept her eyes on him. Nothing. Yet.

"But after you and Amaya-chan broke up and he saw how hurt you were" She saw him stiffen slightly, "He ended his relationship too."

Ryousuke turned to look at her, "Impressive." He said simply and turned back to his laptop. He continued to enter some more data the mechanics had collected last night.

"He became very focused on racing when you had thrown yourself into driving every spare minute to get away from the pain you felt from the break up." Mitsu sighed, "You were both hurting so much…" She placed a hand on his shoulder.

His fingers froze in mid-air, barely hovering just above the keyboard keys.

"He's scared of what might happen if he lets someone get too close to him, right?" She stepped closer to him so she could see his face, "And you're worried it might happen again…"

Ryousuke's eyes narrowed but he did not turn to look at her, "If you're done, I have a lot of work to do." His tone was hard. She was reading him like an open book. He didn't like it.

"Ryousuke…"

His eyes met hers at the familiarity. It caught him off guard.

"If you ever want to talk about anything, I'm here." She said holding his gaze. She offered him a light smile and turned to leave.

"Mitsu-chan."

She turned to him.

Ryousuke was looking at her as he got to his feet and bowed, "I apologize for my actions last night, I…"

"Ryousuke-san, we were both under emotional stress, it's natural for people under such conditions to…"

The young man straightened in surprise. "To feel the need to have some connection with another being."

Mitsu smiled and nodded, "Exactly."

Ryousuke continued to stare at her.

She cocked her head to the side curiously, "What is it? Surprised we think alike?" She chuckled, "We are studying the same subject Ryousuke-san. I'll let you get back to work." She said and turned to leave his room.

Ryousuke stared at the door as it closed behind her.

Fukotomi Mitsu…

He frowned.

* * *

Author's Note: 

Thanks Hana Tenshi: Forgot to transcribe that little detail from my mind into writing!

So I opted to go with Ryousuke's past from the manga. Well what i could salvage from various information on the net since I haven't personally read it. Plus it has been molded to fit the story! So, sorry in advance if something doesn't match. Ryousuke thus has never done any amateur racing in autocross or circuit. Plus I don't actually know when in his life he was invited to race for that professional team from Tokyo, but after highschool seemed okay. This too was obviously altered to a 'tryout'.

I remember GT4SilverShadow suggesting the S2000 as being a good car, so Masuko Roku being a pro had to have made a good choice in selecting a car so the S2000 it was! Later on I realized why I had not placed it in the story before: Oops sorry slipup, s2000 a little modern for the story timeline. Hopefully everyone can just ignore that little tidbit!

sevcrucio : Hmm.. let's say that Mitsu softens him up for later then!!!

As always reviews and suggestions, constructive criticism welcomed.

Wow it's 3:27 am. Maybe I should sleep now...

Oh yeah, Oops miscalculated when the drama and action would be inserted. Can you tell I'm writting on the fly? Oh well...

Anyway, I'm Sleepy... So Cheers,

P.S. HELP!!! Does anyone know what this means: a href"javascript:void(0);" onClick"javascript:alert('Category: Hmmm..Enough

I keep getting this when I try to upload. Is there a max number of entries or words that can be uploaded on ?

CelicaChick.


	18. Chapter 18: Slow Torture Fast kill

**Chapter 18 – Slow Torture; Fast Kill**

Oonishi Amaya watched as Keisuke's FD, the Hachiroku she had seen yesterday and a white SW20 entered the parking lot followed by the three support vans. Her eyes zeroed in on the SW20 and more specifically it's driver.

It was the girl she had met yesterday… Amaya chuckled and shook her head.

"What is it?" The man standing beside her asked curiously. He too had been watching the SW20. It had not been here yesterday. Could it be the car they intended to race for the downhill battle?

"That's the girl that was with them yesterday. Fukotomi Mitsu."

"Do you think Ryousuke-san is planning on having her race tonight?"

"I don't know about that. But she barely admitted to even being a racing fan and look at her." Amaya shook her head again, "It figures Ryousuke would find another girl who was involved in racing, that or one who was a nurse or something."

Roku smiled, "It makes sense though." He wrapped his arm around her waist, "It's just like you and I. They share a common interest. It would be hard to be with someone that didn't like what you do."

Amaya relaxed in his arms. They watched as Project D began to prepare for the battle.

* * *

Ryousuke climbed out of the van and walked around to the other side where work had already been started on the FD and the Hachiroku. He joined Fumihiro who had just finished checking in with the mechanics, "Once everything is ready, let them know we're ready to start." 

"Hai."

Ryousuke glanced towards the Kamikaze racers. The red FC was lined up at the start. "Keisuke. Fujiwara."

The two drivers stopped talking and briskly made their way to Takahashi Ryousuke. Keisuke was feeling very anxious. He really wanted to race Amaya. Whether it was on the downhill or the uphill, he didn't care.

They stood in front of Ryousuke silently.

"Today will not be any different,Fujiwara will race the downhill, Keisuke the uphill."

"Aniki!"

"Keisuke we'll talk about this later." Ryousuke said sternly. He turned to the younger driver, "Fujiwara…"

Keisuke cursed and walked off. Couldn't his brother see how much he wanted and needed to race Amaya? He walked over to the guardrail and kicked it. How could his Aniki do this to him?

"Hey."

He glanced up.

Mitsu and Satoro were only a few steps behind him.

"Takumi's racing her?" Mitsu asked softly.

Keisuke turned away without answering her.

Mitsu sent Satoro a worried look before she moved to Keisuke's side and ran her hand up and down his back. He was as tense as a coiled spring. Never would he have been able to race effectively in this state. Ryousuke must have known his brother would be like this and had opted not to race him against Amaya. Mitsu looked back as she heard footsteps approaching. She patted Keisuke's back and gave him smile before she moved away from him.

Ryousuke gave her and Satoro a nod of his head as they turned to leave them alone, "Keisuke."

His younger brother ignored him as he continued to stand staring at the sea with both his hands shoved deeply in his pant pockets.

Ryousuke stopped beside him and also looked out at the sea, "I know you really want to challenge Amaya, Keisuke." He said softly, "But this race is not about Amaya, Roku-san, you or me. It's about Project D." He looked at his brother from the corner of his eyes. Keisuke had lowered his gaze. He knew what he said was true, "You're too close to the challenger to perform optimally. You'll have to work on that, but not today." He added when his younger brother looked up at him, "We'll work on it in a controlled setting."

Keisuke sighed and finally looked at his brother, "I really hate her Aniki."

Ryousuke met his gaze, "I know." He turned to look at the sea again, "I can't make you understand that it wasn't her fault because I know how you think. But look at them, they're happy together." He looked at his brother, "Amaya and I… We were just not meant to be together that's all. It's no one's fault."

"But you guys were dating when she fell for him! How can it not be her fault!?!?"

Ryousuke sighed, "They talked and she had a feeling. Amaya and I ended before anything between her and Roku-san started Keisuke." He saw the unconvinced look on his brothers face, "You love to race the mountain passes right?"

Keisuke frowned, "Yeah, but what does…"

Ryousuke shook his head and his brother quieted, "Even though you love racing the mountain passes you would give it up if you were invited to join a professional racing team right? Even though you've never experienced the professional racing world you would leave the mountain passes for the chance. It was the same for Amaya." He studied his brother's face. Keisuke was mulling over his words. That was a good sign. Ryousuke turned to look at the sea again.

"I guess. But I'm still mad at her…" Keisuke mumbled.

Ryousuke chuckled lightly. He glanced back at the team, "Come Keisuke, we're about to start."

Keisuke nodded and followed his brother back to the team.

Takumi watched them return. His eyes rested on Keisuke who was walking towards him.

"Beat her."

"Hai."

Keisuke nodded and turned to look at his Aniki who was watching them casually.

"Let's start." Fumihiro said.

Takumi pulled open the door to the Hachiroku and climbed in. He strapped himself in and started the engine. With a nod to the members of the team he pulled his car up alongside the awaiting red FC.

* * *

Oonishi Amaya was staring straight ahead, completely focused on the upcoming race. She watched as one of her teammates moved to the side of the road and raised his hand in the air, opened palmed. His eyes met hers. She nodded and he started the countdown. 

Mitsu, Satoro, Keisuke, Fumihiro and Ryousuke stood facing the driver's side of the Hachiroku.

"5… 4… 3… 2… 1… GO!"

Everyone watched as the red FC and the white 86 bolted down the road neck in neck.

"What did you tell him Aniki?" Keisuke asked as they all watched. The two cars were only about yards away from the first corner.

"Watch." Ryousuke answered simply.

* * *

Takumi glanced to his left briefly. He was matching the FC exactly. The first corner was coming up. His eyes narrowed. What was she going to do? He held his speed. 

'_Let her make the first move.'_ Ryousuke had said.

The corner was coming up. A few more seconds and they would reach it. If she refused to accelerate or slow down, he would be forced to go on the outside.

She didn't slow down nor did she speed up. Takumi glanced at his tachometer. 9000 RPMs. So that was his limit. He stepped on the brakes and down geared into second as the rear of the car slid outwards. The FC, who had the inside, pulled ahead slightly because of the shorter traveling distance. He glanced at the dash. He was within the limit. Good. At the exit, Takumi fell in behind her.

* * *

"She's not pushing…" Mitsu said softly. 

They all turned to her.

Ryousuke nodded, "No, she's not." He said turning to watch as the two cars disappeared around the first corner. Now they had to rely on the play by play of the people with radios stationed throughout the course.

"Ryousuke…" Fumihiro called.

The young man turned to him.

"Look." He motioned towards their left where two casually dressed men were walking in their direction. Both smiled when they met Ryousuke's gaze.

"Do you know them Aniki?" Keisuke asked frowning.

"Hai." He took a step in their direction and waited for them to reach him.

One of them turned to look over at Team Kamikaze, "Roku-kun!" He called.

Masuko Roku glanced towards the man that had called his name. He raised his hand in salute then continued to talk to the people he was with.

The two men stopped in front of Ryousuke.

One of them extended his hand, "It's good to see you again Ryousuke-kun."

Ryousuke shook his hand, "Matsushita Yukio."

The other man also extended his hand, "Ryousuke." He said smiling.

"Furotoku Ken." Ryousuke acknowledged.

"Roku mentioned you were going to be in the area so we decided to drop by and see how you were doing." Matsushita informed him.

"Aa." Ryousuke stepped aside and introduced them to Fumihiro, his brother, Mitsu and Satoro.

"How do you know each other?" Mitsu asked curiously.

"Well you see, several years ago, we tried to recruit Ryousuke-kun to join our team, but he refused us at that time." Yukio informed her.

Mitsu glanced at Ryousuke, "The same team Roku-san tried out for?"

"Oh, no." Ken-san said shaking his head, "Roku and Ryousuke were both trying out for a different team. Our team director just happen to be watching that day and liked what he saw in Ryousuke-kun." He turned his full gaze onto Takahashi Ryousuke, "He still does."

"I'm retired." Ryousuke declared casually.

The two men exchanged looks.

* * *

Takumi glanced at the tachometer. She was holding back. When he drove with Ryousuke-san, his FC had gone much faster than this. He assumed hers was nearly as fast as his, and if that was so, then she was purposefully going slower. But why? 

Another corner.

The red FC slowed down uncharacteristically early.

Takumi watched curiously as he took the outside line.

"_After you found the rpm limit, race your race up to that rpm. When you're behind it's okay to pass her but don't pass your RPM limit. Do you understand?"_

How did he know she would slow down?

He shifted into second gear and drifted through the corner past her.

* * *

Amaya smiled as she saw him come out of the corner in front of her. Now was her chance to see what kind of driver this Fujiwara Takumi was. She frowned. Why wasn't he pulling away? His Hachiroku was supposed to be a monster on wheels. Was he playing around with her? She grinned and shook her head. If he thought he could throw her off by holding back, he had another thing coming… She shifted into third, absorbing the beautiful sound of her FC's engine. This car was made to be revved high!

* * *

"What team are you guys from exactly?" Keisuke asked curiously. 

The two men looked at him in surprise then they turned to Ryousuke.

"We're from Rotary Excellence." Ken-san answered turning back to Keisuke whose eyes widened.

"Aniki! Why didn't you ever tell me!?!?!"

Ryousuke shrugged simply and looked towards Team Kamikaze. Their members were buzzing around. He crossed his arms. So it had started.

"Anyway Ryousuke-kun, we're in Tochigi for the rest of the week at Twin Ring Motegi. Drop by if you get the chance, okay?" Matsushita Yukio said smiling lightly.

Ryousuke nodded simply, "Thank you for the invitation, but I will be busy this week."

Yukio just smiled, "Of course. We understand." He turned to Ken, "Ready?"

Ken nodded and turned to Ryousuke, "Well it was nice seeing you again Ryousuke-kun. I'm sure we'll see each other again one day." He turned to the others and nodded, "Nice meeting all of you."

"Aa."

"Nice meeting you guys too,"

"Bye."

They watched as the two men from Rotary Excellence walked over to a black sedan, climbed in and drove off towards the exit.

"You turned down Rotary Excellence Aniki!?!?!" Keisuke declared still shocked.

Ryousuke quietly took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, calling for patience, "It's time you started focusing Keisuke." He said then turned and walked back towards where the support vans and other cars were parked together.

Satoro watched him in awe, "Wow… Rotary Excellence…" he said in a low voice.

Mitsu glanced over at her best friend with a smirk. She glanced at Keisuke who was sadly shaking his head.

"I can't believe he turned them down!"

"No kidding!" Satoro added.

"Well I'll let you guys wallow in disbelief." Mitsu said and turned to go after Ryousuke.

Satoro watched her leave then turned to Keisuke, "I told you."

Keisuke shrugged, "That doesn't mean anything." Then he frowned, "Rotary Excellence!" He shook his head again.

* * *

Ryousuke pulled open the small fridge, "Do you want one?" He asked without turning around as he reached inside to grab a bottle of water. 

Mitsu smiled lightly, "I'm okay Ryousuke-san." She replied as he closed the fridge and straightened. She waited as he twisted off the cap and took a long sip of water, "Do you ever regret it?" She asked softly.

Ryousuke met her questioning gaze, "To regret something you can't change is a waste of time and energy." He answered casually.

"Can you ever give a straight answer?" Mitsu asked. So he did regret it sometimes, why couldn't he just say that?

"Yes." Came the stoic answer.

Mitsu laughed. Then again he wouldn't have been Ryousuke if he were any different.

* * *

"What is he doing over there?" Amaya exclaimed confused. The race was more than half over and he still hadn't pulled away or made any kind of move. Was this his potential? Were all his other opponents simply weak? This couldn't be all he had! Her eyes narrowed on the Panda coloured Hachiroku. His line taking was perfect, the smoothness of his car's weight transfer as he drifted into each corner was amazing to watch. He had to be better than this! 

She frowned. Almost over and nothing? She was starting to feel anxious. Was he planning on finishing the race this way? Could that be? Would anyone do such a thing? Her thoughts turned to Ryousuke. If he was behind Project D, it was possible… Anything was possible with that guy…

Her eyes widened slightly and her foot found the brake and she down-geared.

Millimeters… She had been onlymillimeters awayfrom slamming into him…

She sighed as they came out of the corner.

* * *

Takumi glanced in his rear view mirror after exiting the corner. He hadn't missed her slip up. Was that what Ryousuke was expecting? He glanced at his tachometer. Still within limits. A few more corners… He glanced back again… Soon… Ryousuke said it would be soon… 

He turned back to the road.

Strange… he didn't feel any pressure from her.

Was this racing?

Suddenly he caught a flash of light from behind. The red FC had swung wide and back in again.

It was just as Ryousuke-san said…

He frowned.

Scary… Definitely scary…

* * *

Amaya swung out again and back in. She was starting to feel restless. What had Ryousuke told him? Why was he taking it so easy? Were they underestimating her? 

No.

Ryousuke wouldn't do that. He was too careful…

Then why?

Her foot pressed down on the accelerator unconsciously wanting to go faster. Just a few more corners. She could hold out for a few more corners.

Unless… Unless that was what they expected and wanted her to do…

Her grip tightened on the steering wheel and readjusted nervously.

They were approaching the lower end of the run. Yahiko-jinja Shrine's parking lot was the finish line. She glanced to the side. The width of the soft shoulder of the road was getting wider and wider the lower down the mountain they got. Further in the distance she could see the faint lights that lit the parking lot down at the Shrine.

This was it. She had to make her move now. She hesitated through another corner. Why wasn't he doing anything?

She couldn't wait any longer or she would lose this race by staying behind. The next corner was coming up. This was it.

* * *

Takumi glanced in his mirror after seeing the lights below. She would make her move soon Ryousuke-san had said. 

He frowned as he saw her take the outside line again. This time she stayed there as they entered the corner. He shifted into second as he looked in the direction he was steering. At the corner of his eyes he saw the bumper of the red FC. As they exited the corner into the last short straight, the FC pulled ahead and swung to the inside in front of him.

Takumi eyes narrowed and he accelerated. There were nine tight corners left.

'_After the last straight before the hairpin corners, she will probably be in front of you. It is then that you can use the full potential of your car. Remember Fujiwara, when you drift you are reducing the friction ratio between your rear tires and the road. The faster you can get the rear of the car to swing out the faster you'll finish the drift. The less friction you have between you rear tires and the road the faster the rear of the car will swing out. Remember that when you reach the hairpin corners.'_

Less friction? How was he going to accomplish that? He was frowning as he saw the upcoming corner. Suddenly the rear end of the red FC wobbled before coming back under control.

That was it! That's how he could reduce the friction between his tires and the road!

* * *

"Stupid sand!" Amaya cursed as she got her car under control. She hoped more had not been blown onto the road. To either side of the road the soft sandy shoulder was just large enough to fit a car. Often, during the summer days, you could find cars parked here when the parking lots were full. 

The right-handed corner loomed. She looked back and smirked. Now he speeds up. She focused on the road again and waited for the absolute last minute to take her foot off the accelerator. She applied the brakes and tapped the accelerator as she smoothly geared down.

The light in her rearview mirror vanished.

"What?!?!? Where is he?" She glanced to her left and her eyes widened.

The Hachiroku was really far to the outside. He couldn't possibly be on the road anymore. What the heck was he doing!?!? Her gaze snapped back to the road ad she quickly had to shift the weight of the car. Yahiko's hairpin corners were tight and came one after the other in quick sequence. She had to focus. She couldn't worry about what the other driver was doing.

She slammed on her brakes as the Hachiroku blasted in front of her, its rear already shifting to the right as it made its entrance into the next corner. It's rear tires slid off the road, shooting a cloud of sand up into the air.

"Damn it!" She yelled as her view became slightly limited. She drifted through the sand only to find another cloud waiting for her at the exit, no entrance to the next corner. She onlygot a split second glimpseat the rear taillights of the panda Trueno, then it was gone… vanished in a cloud of brown sand… Like a ghost…

Somewhere at the foot of the mountain, the lights of Yahiko-Jinja Shrine shone brightly.

* * *

**Author's notes:**

First off... Off the second parking lot of Yahiko there's another road but the site I was at didn't say where it led to. SoI made it lead down to the backside of the mountain where Yahiko-jinja Shrine is really located. I also made up the quality of the road since the site had no descriptions or pictures of the road. There,I feel better!

I read about this Japanese racer who does the dirt drift from corner to corner, so that's where the idea came from. It explained the theory behind it but I couldn't find the website again, sorry! So I hope I got the basics of it right!

Rotary Excellence is a twist on the real Team RE Amemiya (for peeps like me that don't know, RE: Rotary Engine) They too have a beautiful yellow FD although not as bright a shade of yellow.

You know you watch too much Initial D when everything you see that is yellow reminds you of an FD… Sigh… Is this called inter-episode withdrawal?

If anyone wants to leave me a message, I'd like to hear where you're from. I'm writing from Vancouver, Canada. /Waves a hello/

Cheers,

CelicaChick


	19. Chapter 19: Primal Instincts

**Chapter 19 – Primal Instincts**

Takumi drove into the parking lot and made his way towards where Project D's support vans were parked. He turned off the Hachiroku's engine and stepped out of the car.

"Congratulations Takumi-kun!" Mitsu said being the first one to step towards him.

Takumi nodded, "Thank you." He said almost shyly.

Ryousuke came up behind her, "Good job." He said simply as Keisuke made his way towards them.

The younger Takahashi and Takumi looked at each other a moment.

Mitsu glanced over at Ryousuke. He was casually watching them.

Finally, Keisuke smiled and he nodded.

Takumi nodded in return.

"Fujiwara Takumi."

Everyone turned around.

Oonishi Amaya and Masuko Roku came to a stop behind them.

The members of Project parted to allow Takumi free access to their visitors.

Amaya stepped towards him and met his gaze. Too be this young and have so much potential. No wonder Ryousuke had recruited him. She stretched out her hand, "Thank you." She said with a light smile, "You definitely had me mentally beat." She added as he grasped her hand gently and shook it. Her brow rose with curiousity. His grip was soft.

"Well actually, I was just following what Ryousuke-san told me to do." Takumi answered placing his other hand at the back of his head sheepishly.

Amaya smiled. She should have known. She turned to Ryousuke; "You were always able to best me when it came to mind games." She laughed then turned to the young lady standing slightly to his side, "I hope you're ready for him."

Mitsu was taken aback and the look of surprise must have registered on her face because Amaya giggled lightly.

"I… We… We're not seeing each other." She stammered.

Amaya's smile only widened, "Right. Just like you hesitated to say you were a racing fan." She motioned towards the white SW20, "I'd say you're a fan."

Masuko Roku spoke then, "I'm sorry we haven't been formerly introduced, "My name is Masuko Roku from Niigata." He said offering out his hand. He hoped she would offer some information about herself also.

Mitsu turned to him and smiled hesitantly, "Fukotomi Mitsu, originally from Tokyo."

A smile appeared on his face, "Aa. I see. You're the Tokyo Phantom are you not?"

Mitsu tried to control the shocked feeling that had engulfed her.

"I saw one of your battles. I recognized your car when you arrived but I wanted to confirm my suspicion."

"The Tokyo Phantom?" Amaya repeated still smiling, "No wonder you've caught Ryousuke's attention!"

Keisuke took a step forward, "Mind your own business Oonishi Amaya." He said sternly.

Ryousuke placed a firm hand on his brother's shoulder and Keisuke glanced at him. The tension left his body and he backed away.

Amaya met Ryousuke's stern gaze, "She must be very good." She turned to Mitsu who was watching everyone carefully, "I want to see how good." An overwhelming feeling swept through her and all she wanted was to challenge her and beat her.

"Maya…" Roku said with a sigh.

Amaya waved him off, "So what do you say? Do you want to race?"

Mitsu met her gaze.

"Next Saturday. I'll give you some time to get some practice on Yahiko. Same time."

Mitsu glanced at Satoro.

Her best friend was smiling, "I'll come."

That was all Mitsu needed to hear. She turned to Oonishi Amaya, "Saturday then."

Masuko Roku turned to look at Takahashi Ryousuke. The young man was watching passively. His eyes lowered to the other man's hand. He had noticed it the moment his eyes had rested on him, "Ryousuke-san, What happened to your hand?"

Ryousuke turned to him, "It's nothing." He answered simply as he met Masuko Roku's gaze. The two men stared at each other a long moment before Roku sighed.

Ryousuke turned his back to all of them, "Let's go Keisuke." He said simply and started walking away and towards the FD.

"You're going to lose again, Oonishi Amaya." Keisuke said casually and turned to walk after his brother.

Amaya watched them go. Sadness filled her and she turned to look at Roku.

"It's okay." He said puling her into his arms.

"Aa." Amaya turned to Mitsu again, "I never wanted to hurt him Mitsu-chan…"

Mitsu studied the young lady in front of her. She was telling the truth. Mitsu could see the pain she felt in seeing the Takahashi brother's reaction towards her.

"Ryousuke-san knows that Amaya-chan. He doesn't blame you." She said offering the other lady an encouraging smile.

"Really?" She sounded skeptical.

Mitsu nodded, "He doesn't blame you." Mitsu repeated as she met Amaya's eyes.

"See. I told you." Roku said hugging her.

Amaya only smiled lightly. She looked towards Mitsu again, "Did he tell you that?"

Mitsu nodded, "Hai."

"He must like you. Ryousuke doesn't share his feelings or his thoughts with many people." She looked towards the two Takahashi brothers who were speaking to each other beside the yellow FD, "Take care of him." She added giving one final look at Mitsu before she and Masuko Roku started back to where the Kamikaze Racers were preparing for the next battle.

Mitsu watched as they re-joined their team.

"Hmm…" Takumi said watching Mitsu carefully.

"What?" Matsumoto asked curiously as Satoro also turned to the teenager.

"Huh?" Takumi looked over the men.

"You said something?" Satoro asked.

Takumi shook his head, "No I didn't mean anything." He said nervously.

Matsumoto just shrugged, "Well we should get ready, right Fumihiro?"

"Hai." He turned to the others, "Are you guys coming?"

The others nodded and they all walked over to the FD.

"I understand." Keisuke could be heard saying as they reached the brothers.

The loud revving of an engine caught all of their attentions. On the other side of the parking lot a gold coloured Honda NSX was pulling out of it's parking spot and was starting for the exit.

"Okay, I'm off." Keisuke said pulling the car door open and climbing in.

Ryousuke stepped towards him, "Remember what I said Keisuke."

His younger brother nodded, "I will." He nodded and closed the door. The FD's engine came to life and slowly rolled away and started down the hill towards Yahiko Shrine.

Fumihiro came up to Ryousuke, "I don't hear a turbo kit."

Ryousuke shook his head, "No. The car is naturally aspirated, but it's V6 3.2 litre DOHC VTEC engine is producing 280 horses and with it's exclusively aluminum body it's at least 200 Kg lighter than a car with a steel body, making it very much a tough challenger for Keisuke's FD (1)."

"Even with a lighter body there's still a significant amount of difference in power." Fumihiro exclaimed skeptically.

"That engine is using a lot of racing engine assembly technology that enhances its output efficiency and allows for very nimble responses (1)."

Matsumoto frowned, "The NSX sounds tough."

Ryousuke glanced at him, "It has one big weakness… This battle will make it very obvious."

Mitsu exchanged curious looks with Satoro before they both turned to look at Ryousuke. He was now staring sternly into the distance.

* * *

Keisuke briefly glanced at the NSX before turning back to the man who was about to start the countdown.

He placed the car in gear and as soon as the caller said 'Go!' he opened up the throttle.

"Psh!" The NSX cut in front of him and took the lead. His Aniki was right, the car was pretty fast. He let off the gas slightly. He could wait.

'_Patience. Learn to trust your instincts Keisuke.'_

His Aniki's voice repeated in his head. His eyes took in the sight of the NSX and his focus sharpened as they approached the first of the tight hairpin corners.

The red brake lights flashed and illuminated everything in his view. Keisuke applied the brakes and shifted into second gear, his eyes never leaving the car in front of him. The gold NSX was tightly hugging the inside of the corner. He was so close to the shoulder he could see the sand on the side of the road being blown away by the air disturbance his car was causing. His front tires were only and inch or two away from the shoulder. His opponent had pretty good control of his car. Keisuke lightened his grasp on the steering wheel. He could practically feel the contact and the grip potential of his car through the steering wheel and the accelerator. The slightest touch and his FD would comply with his wishes…

* * *

"The NSX is in front." Matsumoto informed all of them.

They all turned to see Ryousuke's reaction to the news, but the man was as stoic as usual.

Mitsu glanced at Satoro who gave her a smile, "Why don't you go talk to him?"

"Why? If you want to talk to him, you go do it."

Satoro arched an eyebrow curiously as his best friend crossed her arms about her chest, "Hey, what's this?"

Mitsu ignored him as he nudged her playfully.

"Is she mad at you?" Matsumoto asked as he turned to them curiously.

"I think she might be a little upset." Satoro said still smiling.

The other man looked between them curiously.

"Takumi-kun!" Mitsu called turning to the shocked teenager, "Come walk with me." She said motioning for him to follow her as she turned away from the group and started walking away.

Takumi looked at Satoro a little worried then he turned and walked after her.

"What's that all about?" Matsumoto asked as he watched the two people leave.

Satoro smiled, "What Amaya-chan said about her and Ryousuke-san is probably bothering her."

"Hmm… If it bothers her that much… But that would mean…"

Satoro nodded and smiled, "Exactly."

Matsumoto looked at him shocked. He slowly turned to look at Takahashi Ryousuke who was quietly listening to Fumihiro speak to him, "Do you think that's okay? Has anyone warned her about Ryousuke-san?"

"Warned her?" Satoro repeated as he became concern, "Warn her about what?"

Matsumoto glanced at him. Didn't he know? He thought everyone knew, "Ryousuke-san doesn't date. He's not interested in women."

Satoro's eyes widened.

"Not like that!" Matsumoto rolled his eyes, "He's more interested in other things. Geez…"

Satoro released a relieved sigh, "I don't think that will be a problem." He glanced over at the subject of discussion, "Mitsu's not your normal woman."

Matsumoto turned to him, "Are you saying she can get to Takahashi Ryousuke?"

Satoro saw the skeptical look on the other man's face. He nodded, "Care to make a wager on it?"

Matsumoto smiled. His interest was peaked, "What exactly will we be betting on?"

"Hmm… Let's see… I'll bet you that he falls for her."

Matsumoto laughed, "And how are we going to know that? Unless he tells us, which by the way, would never happen. Not that he'd fall for her anyway."

"Oh, I bet we'll all be able to see he cares for her."

"You're willing to bet that Ryousuke-san would show his feelings in public?" He said shocked.

Satoro nodded smiling confidently.

"You got yourself a bet!" The mechanic exclaimed, "5000.00 yen?"

Satoro nodded, "I'll be glad to take that from you."

Matsumoto laughed, "Ryousuke-san won't let me down! Should we put a time limit on the bet? I don't want you to try and get out of paying me!"

"Less than a year?"

"Fine." Matsumoto nodded. A year, five years, there was no way Ryousuke-san would show any public display of emotion, especially to a girl.

"Hey!"

Matsumoto and Satoro turned to look at Fumihiro.

"What are the two of you laughing about?"

Ryousuke-san glanced at the two men. He had a strange feeling. He turned to look in the distance again.

"Nothing." Matsumoto answered. He glanced at Ryousuke-san. No. He wasn't going to lose this bet. That man was as emotional as a rock.

* * *

Keisuke patiently followed the NSX through the initial hairpin turns. The incline was gradual here. Ryousuke had said that the ideal moment to pass would present itself when the incline became steeper. It was then that he was to follow his innate racers instincts.

'_This is a good opportunity for you to practice remaining calm. Feel your car underneath you Keisuke. You know its capabilities; let it become an extension of your body. It will respond to whatever you want it to do. If you remain calm you'll feel like your FD has become part of your body and the control you'll be able to exert over it will separate you from other racers.'_

His Aniki's words replayed in his mind. Feel the car beneath him. He had to relax. His grip on the steering wheel lightened. He could feel the soft almost inconspicuous vibrations permeating through his fingers and through his arms. He relaxed his legs. Suddenly the accelerator became more sensitive. His slightest touch causing the FD to leap forward or pull back at the retraction of that touch. The ball of his feet could feel the resonating sensation of the tires gripping to the asphalt. He let the tension seep out of the rest of his body. His weight sank into the bucket seat. They were no longer hard, just there, a part of him and the FD. His whole body smoothly moving with the fluid motions of the FD as it drifted through corner after corner. His senses seemed to sharpen as he felt every divot in the road. His ears heard every sound made by his FD, it's roaring engine, like a racing heartbeat, like a living breathing being. He could feel how much the FD could give, how far he could push, and how much it had left… The FD and him were slowly becoming one…

* * *

"The NSX is pinching the FD! Keisuke is being blocked." A voice called over the radio.

Fumihiro glanced at Ryousuke. The young leader didn't seem at all worried.

The Radio came to life again, "Keisuke's FD didn't seem too be pushing hard in the corner. It's as though he doesn't care that the NSX is blocking him."

Ryousuke closed his eyes and tilted his head to the night sky as he crossed his arms. In his mind, he could clearly hear the FD's engine as it was shifted into a lower gear and the sound of skidding tires as it drifted through a corner. Art. Keisuke would become a great artist in time…

He glanced to the side as he heard footsteps and saw Takumi rejoin them. He recognized the spaced out look on the teenagers face. His eyes moved to stare straight ahead, "Something on your mind Fujiwara?"

Takumi was jolted from his thoughts as he turned to Ryousuke, "No, Ryousuke-san…" He answered quickly.

Ryousuke turned his stern gaze onto him.

Takumi tried to match his gaze but lowered his eyes within moments.

"What did she say?" He asked casually.

"Nothing. She didn't say anything. We waked to the other side then she said she wanted to be alone." He frowned.

Ryousuke nodded and looked away.

Takumi could feel the tension seep out of his body. A movement to his side caught his attention and when he turned to see what it was, he saw Ryousuke-san walking away from them and in the direction Mitsu had gone in. He watched quietly as the man casually strolled away.

"This will be the easiest 5000 yen I've ever made."

Takumi turned to see Satoro chuckling.

"This doesn't mean anything!" Matsumoto exclaimed shaking his head, "It has to be an obvious public display!"

Satoro shrugged, "I'm ready to wait. It'll happen, I'm not worried!"

Fumihiro watched them confused, "What are the two of you talking about?" He asked again.

* * *

Keisuke touched the accelerator with slightly more pressure. The incline was starting to get steeper.

_Follow your instincts Keisuke. Trust them. Be patient and they will not fail you. You'll know when the time is right. Follow your instincts._

He mulled over his Aniki's words as he patiently followed the gold NSX. How much more could that car pump out. He allowed his body to relax. His FD had a lot more in reserve. Waiting. Just quietly waiting to be unleashed.

Keisuke smiled…

* * *

Ryousuke stopped in his tracks and amazement appeared on his face briefly before it was quickly whisked away. Mitsu-chan was standing by the guardrail with her back towards him as she stared out over the sea. A light breeze swept through her dark hair making it flow silkily behind her. Her small frame stood tall, confident. She stood motionless, like a brazen statue in a real life painting.

But that wasn't what had caught his attention.

Ryousuke felt the small hairs at the base of his neck raising. A strange feeling swept through him. His eyes narrowed. How had

There was an aura about her.

One that he hadn't felt before.

A very strong aura.

He could feel it pulling him.

His muscles tightened and he stood his ground rigidly. What the heck was happening? He mentally slapped himself. He was stronger than this! His face hardened and he ground out the strange feeling in his chest before he took several determined steps towards Fukotomi Mitsu.

* * *

"You guys bet on them falling for each other!?!?!?" Fumihiro repeated surprised.

Satoro and Matsumoto nodded.

Fumihiro frowned and turned to Satoro, "You're going to lose Satoro." He turned to Matsumoto, "And you're taking advantage of him Matsumoto. He doesn't know Ryousuke-san that well."

"He doesn't know Ryousuke-san that well and I don't know Mitsu-chan that well. It's pretty even."

Satoro nodded in complete agreement, "Mitsu's a very unique woman."

"Even though. Nothing's going to sway Ryousuke."

"Don't be too sure." Satoro said grinning.

Matsumoto, Fumihiro and Takumi all exchanged looks.

Mitsu chan making Takahashi Ryousuke fall for her?

Doubtful…

Very Doubtful…

Pretty much impossible…

* * *

"Mitsu-chan."

The young lady turned in surprise to see Ryousuke come to a stop beside her. She immediately picked up on his serious mindset, "Ryousuke-san." She said nodding her head casually.

He didn't turn to look at her, so she too turned to look out at the sea again.

They stood in silence for several minutes.

"Amaya-chan, said she didn't mean to hurt you."

"I know."

Mitsu glanced at him from the corner of her eyes, "I told her you knew."

Ryousuke nodded simply. He didn't understand. What was this strange aura surrounding her? It was unlike anything he had ever felt before. It pulled at him, but not in a way he was used to. He had met other drivers with strong auras, all of which had raised his competitive spirit and had made him feel exhilarated. But this aura… This strange strong insistent aura emanating from Mitsu-chan was different. Although it exhilarated him, he also felt no urge to compete, in fact he felt uncertain of himself. His confidence seemed to drain from his whole being, and he no longer felt like he knew who he was anymore. He looked at her from the corner of his eyes. What was so special about her? Yes, she was quite good looking, but he had seen and met a lot of physically attractive girls. That wasn't it. She was confident. True confidence was a very attractive feature, but nothing that wasn't something uncommon. No. What was it about her that caused this aura?

Mitsu stood motionless. He was studying her. Probably analyzing her. She could feel it. His gaze was like a soft touch brushing over her entire body. She shivered.

"Did you bring a jacket?" his deep serious voice sounded.

"No. I'm okay Ryousuke-san. I'm not cold."

Ryousuke turned to her.

Mitsu also turned to him and gave him a smile.

Ryousuke froze and tried to regulate his heartbeat. The moment her smile had registered in his brain he had felt like someone had thrown a brick at his chest. The strong aura about her seemed to intensify so much, and like an explosion hit him with its full force.

"Are you okay Ryousuke-san?"

The man nodded casually and turned away. What was it about this girl?

"You're not worried about Keisuke are you? He's getting better. I know you feel it too." She said turning to look out at the quiet sea, "I can feel it…"

Ryousuke stiffened. She had felt it also? He turned to her. Had his brother and her really gotten that close? Had he been wrong about them? He racket his brain for every moment he could recall where he had seen them together or talking about each other. Nothing. He hadn't felt anything between them. Could he have been wrong? Have his basic instincts failed him?

Mitsu turned and their eyes met.

"Ryousuke-san?" She called softly, unsure of what she was seeing in his eyes.

The worry in her eyes stumped him. Confusion openly filled his face.

Mitsu stepped towards him. What was wrong with him? She touched his arm gently and she felt his whole body tremble, "Ryousuke what's wrong?" Her worry surfaced completely.

Ryousuke could only stare at her. His eyes locked with hers as his consciousness struggled with the feeling of her touch on his arm. He flinched when he felt her caress his cheek.

"Ryousuke what's wrong?" She asked again. This wasn't like him. He looked… He looked… Lost…

She released his arm and brought both hands to touch his face, "Ryousuke…" She called again, softer this time. Something flashed in his eyes and suddenly his lips were pressed against hers, his hands tangled in her loose hair…

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Niema: Oh!!! You're AWESOME!!!! Made my day actually since I was feeling a little stressed! Thank you!

Kaede Rukawa: I thought about that too. It sounded strange but I thought maybe they would have been closer by that time. But I agree with you it does sound better to call him by his last name! So staying true to the original, I've changed it! Thanks for your opinion! Salut, maitenant je peux vous ecrire en francais! Haven't written in French in about 8 yrs!

Relina305, Yakiran and Mr. Death: Hello fellow Canucks!

FF drifter: You'll have to wait and find out! I do have a plot laid out in my mind.

SHH!!! Some of you think like I do!!! (hint, hint… NaTanaka… )

GT4SilverShadow, hope I haven't lost you as a reader with all the low action! I'd like to know your opinions on the race scenes and on the NSX.

Cheers,

CelicaChick


	20. Chapter 20: Closure

**Chapter 20 – Closure**

Keisuke had to adjust the pressure he was applying on the accelerator. It was almost time. He could feel a certain itching at the sole of his foot. Was this just impatience?

_The top quarter of the course has many corners where passing is possible due to the large width of the road. Where you make your move is crucial. Trust your instinct._

No, he wasn't being impatient. It was time. The incline was getting steeper. His eyes narrowed and he lightened the pressure on the accelerator. The NSX was slowing down. They entered another corner and upon the exit it took several seconds for the NSX to regain its speed. He frowned. So that's what his Aniki wanted him to see…

* * *

"The NSX is slowing down." Fumihiro told the others.

"It's slowing down?" Satoro said curiously.

Matsumoto shrugged.

"I see now!" Fumihiro said smiling, "The big weakness of the NSX that Ryousuke was talking about."

"Well what is it?"

"Even though the NSX generated quite a bit of power and has a lighter body, it has a really low level of torque which becomes crucial when the incline of the pass becomes steeper. So it's slowing down now."

The three men and the teenager were silent a moment as they digested the information.

"If you think about it though, the lighter body might mean that the lower torque level may be insignificant." Satoro said.

"It's a possibility." Fumihiro said. He looked about.

"He's probably still with Mitsu." Satoro said smiling again.

"He's probably just checking on her. She's kind of his responsibility now." Matsumoto tried to explain.

"Yeah, that too." Satoro allowed. Unlike them, he had seen how they acted around each other in their private lives.

Takumi quietly listened. He had to agree with Satoro. Ryousuke-san definitely acted differently with Mitsu-chan. He turned to look in the distance. The sound of the FD's rotary engine and the NSX NA setup could faintly be heard approaching.

* * *

Keisuke lightened his touch on the steering wheel as he let his FD follow behind the NSX through the whole corner. They quickly approached the next corner. This was it. He steered to the right and took the outside line, accelerating enough to line the FD's bumper to the NSX's driver side door.

Keisuke glanced at the other car. His eyes met those of the other drivers for a split second before they both turned their attention back to the road.

He wasn't going to lose this race.

Suddenly the gold NSX swerved to the outside in an attempt to block the FD. Keisuke applied quick pressure to his brakes and down-geared as he slingshot back to the inside and initiated his drift. Coming out of the corner he touched his accelerator briefly to pull ahead of the NSX before entering the next right-handed corner in a full drift. He now had the inside line; shutting out the NSX.

* * *

All reasoning had vanished from his entire consciousness. He could only feel. Feel this strange energy that was pulling him ever deeper into her spell. Her scent filled his mind and the warmth of her body close to his was spinning his senses out of control.

It was only when the unique revving of the familiar rotary engine could be heard did they pull away and immediately step back from each other gasping for breath. They stared at each other.

What happened?

"We… We should get back." Mitsu said and stepped in his direction as she lowered her gaze. She felt so confused. Brooding, she walked pass him a few steps then stopped, "Are you coming Ryousuke-san?" She asked without turning to look back at him.

"Aa." Ryousuke's characteristically stern voice answered and he joined her. They casually walked in silence around the bend and into the parking lot where Keisuke's FD had pulled to a stop by the Project D support vans.

They stared at the group of happily chatting people as they walked. Both were still too inwardly dazed to notice they were celebrating.

Mitsu glanced at the man walking stoically beside her. How could he be so calm? Her legs were barely supporting her; they felt like jelly, her cheeks felt like they were burning up and her lips… They tingled incessantly…

She glanced at him again and saw his brow twitch slightly. She turned away in satisfaction. He should have felt something, since it was he who had been the one to initiate the k… The whole thing…

Her eyes moved onto him again. There was something about him. Her body just seemed to want to be closer to him…

"Hey! There you guys are!" Matsumoto exclaimed looking them over very carefully.

Mitsu smiled and moved away from Takahashi Ryousuke to go stand beside Satoro. Her best friend also carefully scrutinized her. Did he suspect something?

"You did well Keisuke." Ryousuke said casually as he approached his younger brother.

Keisuke looked him over curiously. Something seemed a little off.

"Did you learn anything?"

The younger Takahashi nodded, "If I relax more I can feel the car better. Once I did that, it was as though the car had become part of me."

Ryousuke nodded and he smiled, "Good." He turned to Fumihiro as his expression turned serious again, "Let's go home."

His friend nodded, "Okay everyone, lets pack up!" He ordered and watched as everyone got moving. He turned to Ryousuke again. His friend hadn't said much after the race. It was a little unusual. Ryousuke usually had a few things to explain to his brother or Takumi, but not today. He seemed like he was in a rush to leave. Fumihiro glanced across the parking lot at Oonishi Amaya and Masuko Roku. Was their presence the reason for his friend's uncharacteristic behaviour? Then Amaya followed by Roku turned and met his gaze. Both smiled and walked towards them.

"We have guests again." Fumihiro informed his friend quietly.

Keisuke stiffened and turned to look at the approaching figures.

Ryousuke crossed his arms and turned around so he could watch them approach.

"Nice race Keisuke." Amaya said offering out her hand.

The young Takahashi glared at her until Amaya retracted her offered hand and turned to his brother.

"Congratulations. We admit defeat." Amaya said softly. She hesitated then stuck out her hand.

Ryousuke maintained a stern stance as he matched her gaze. Then he extended his hand and shook hers. He could see the worry leave Amaya's eyes. It made him feel…Better? Refreshed? Something. He frowned… His senses and his thoughts seemed to have been scrambled and were no longer working properly. The softness of Mitsu's lips beneath his, her warmth…

Ryousuke mentally slapped himself. He had to regain control over himself! He was losing all sense of sanity!

None of this inner struggle appeared in his face or his body posture. At least he seemed to still have some control over his body's reactions… At least when Mitsu-chan wasn't around…

Keisuke watched his brother with disapproval. He shook his head and walked away from them.

Amaya watched him go sadly. "Some of the members of my team that saw him race, said he looked amazing." Amaya said softly. She guessed Keisuke wouldn't forgive her for quite a while yet.

Ryousuke nodded simply but Amaya wasn't discouraged. Ryousuke had never been one to speak very much anyway. She glanced over at the young lady talking away with another guy. She turned back to Ryousuke who was casually watching her. To his side Fumihiro was watching them carefully. She turned to Ryousuke again.

"You and Mitsu-chan can deny it all you want but there is something between the two of you. I can feel it. You have a connection." She smiled lightly, "Be happy Ryousuke okay?"

Ryousuke only stared at her with his blank expression.

"Will you be coming back to Yahiko next Saturday to see the race between Mitsu-chan and Amaya?" Masuko Roku asked to change the subject, "It would interesting to see the Tokyo Phantom race. Unless, you've already seen her race?" He was very curious to see her in action again and to see how Amaya measured up to her.

Ryousuke glanced at Fumihiro.

"Project D usually races on Saturdays." The man answered, then he turned to Ryousuke, "But I don't think the team would mind a break this week?" The team's leader made no attempt to respond so Fumihiro turned to Amaya and shrugged.

"She's amazing, don't you think?"  
Ryousuke met Masuko Roku gaze, "Seems like it."

Surprise filled both Roku and Amaya's face.

"You haven't seen her race yet?" Amaya asked incredulously, "How long have you known her?"

"A couple of weeks."

Fumihiro frowned. They had seen her overtake every member of the Redsuns… But that kind of information wasn't made for sharing.

"That's it?" Amaya said shocked. She had thought that they had known each other longer than that. The connection she felt between them seemed so strong… She turned to look at Mitsu-chan again.

"It's time to go." Ryousuke said suddenly.

Fumihiro nodded and turned to go make sure everyone was ready. Including Keisuke who was leaning up against the side of one of the support vans glaring at them.

Amaya met his gaze, "It was good t see you again Ryousuke." She said offering him a light smile.

He nodded simply and turned to Masuko Roku. Amaya was happy and it was due to this man. Ryousuke offered his hand silently.

Roku smiled and took it, "Maybe we'll see each other again someday." He said nodding.

Ryousuke doubted it but he nodded anyway. As soon as their handshake ended he turned to Amaya one last time and gave her a curt nod of his head before turning to head back to his team.

Amaya and Roku watched him join his team. He made his way to Keisuke who he said a few words to. They watched as Keisuke nodded and went straight to his car and started the engine.

"He still looks up to his brother like he was the most important thing in the whole world." Amaya noticed.

"It's great to see." Roku added nodding.

They watched as everyone started getting into their vehicles and started leaving the parking lot.

"They're amazing." Roku said shaking his head, "They're going to be big…"

Amaya smiled and nodded.

* * *

Ryousuke watched as the members of Project D slowly dispersed to their cars and took off. Keisuke stood quietly beside his side also watching. He glanced at the silver Mercedes.

"Mom and Dad are home."

Ryousuke nodded simply. They probably wanted to be here for tomorrow morning…

Satoro and Mitsu joined them when the last person left.

Ryousuke glanced at his brother and Keisuke nodded and started for the door. They all followed. Once inside Keisuke went to find his parents so he could tell them about his race.

Mitsu and Satoro excused themselves and aslo headed upstairs.

Ryousuke waited until they had all left before he went to the kitchen to boil some water. He leaned against the counter with his arms crossed. Just when he thought everything had been coming back under his control, he loses it again. What was it about Fukotomi Mitsu? That aura… Did anyone else feel it? It felt like faint warm fingers entwining around his body, carefully, gently drawing him closer to her… He shook the thought away. But his body clearly remembered the feeling of her body in close contact with his. It felt like… He couldn't explain it… He seemed to forget everything when he was with her. He frowned. This was ridiculous! What was so special about her? The genuine worry she had seen in her eyes burned in his memory and he felt his chest tighten.

"Honey? Is something wrong?"

Ryousuke blinked and raised his head to see his mother standing before him studying him intently. He smiled lightly, "No, of course not."

Emi stared into his eyes. Something about him was different, "Are you sure?" The last thing she wanted was for him to be worried about anything before tomorrow. Her son nodded. Her eyes swept over him protectively and rested on the white bandage on his hand, "What happened to your hand?"

"A small laceration. It's not serious."

Emi frowned. A small laceration did not need that much attention.

"Would you like some tea?" He asked as he turned to retrieve some cups from the cupboard.

"Sure." She moved towards the table and sat down all the while keeping her eyes on him. His movements were as fluid as ever and he seemed relaxed now. He returned to the kettle and poured the boiling water into the teapot, "Keisuke told us about his race. He said you told him that he did well." She decided to change the subject.

Ryousuke nodded simply and poured the tea into the cups, which he carried over to the table. He placed one of the cups in front of his mother and sat down beside her.

Takahashi Emi watched as her son sipped his tea quietly. All signs of emotion had vanished from his face, but deep in his eyes she saw signs of confusion. What could stump her son so much that it caused a deep frown to appear on his face? What could confuse him so much that he thought he needed to hide his confusion from everyone else?

"You know that your father and I are here if you need help. If you have any questions about school or anything, you can ask us."

"I know." He met his mother's eyes and he offered her a smile, "I'm fine mom."

Emi wasn't convinced but she returned the smile and reached out to give his hand a squeeze.

"So this is where the two of you are." Fujimaro said entering the kitchen. His eyes focused on his son's hand, "What happened?"

"Small laceration. Nothing serious." Ryousuke answered casually again.

"I'll get you some tea." Emi said getting up right away as she exchanged skeptical looks with her husband and shook her head slightly.

Fujimaro nodded and sat down, "So, the race went well I heard."

Ryousuke nodded simply then sipped his tea.

"Did you get enough time to study?"

"Aa."

"That's good."

Ryousuke glanced at his father. That's it? No lecture on how he should study harder? The hairs on the back of his neck tingled. He glanced at his mother and back at his father. Something was wrong.

"Keisuke said the two of you saw Amaya-chan yesterday and today." Emi said carrying a cup of tea to the table for her husband who smiled appreciatively at her.

Ryousuke nodded.

"How is she?"

"She seems fine. Happy." Ryousuke answered looking at his parents carefully.

Emi smiled and Fujimaro nodded.

"Everyone deserves to be happy." Emi said giving her son a smile, "Including you."

Ryousuke turned his gaze upon his mother casually. The tone and pitch of her voice had changed slightly. Something was definitely amiss.

"Great! Someone made tea!" Keisuke said walking into the kitchen followed by Satoro and Mitsu.

"Ah, Satoro-san, Mitsu. Have a seat." Fujimaro exclaimed getting to his feet, his cup of tea in his hands.

"Oh, no that's okay, Fujimaro-san." Mitsu said smiling, "I just wanted to say goodnight."

"Oh, are you sure you don't want some tea dear?" Emi asked.

"No, I'm sure. Thank you." She bowed slightly, "Good night everyone."

There was a chorus of goodnights and she turned and left the kitchen.

Emi glanced at her eldest son curiously. Mitsu seemed like she was avoiding looking at him when she had entered the kitchen. He son finished his tea and got up to put his cup in the dishwasher.

"Please excuse me. I have some work to do. Goodnight." He said bowing lightly before he also waked out of the room.

Emi and Fujimaro exchanged curious looks.

Keisuke carried a cup of tea to Satoro and sat down beside him.

"Thank you."

Keisuke nodded and sipped his drink.

"What happened to your brother's hand Keisuke?" Fujimaro asked.

Keisuke shrugged, "He hurt it on Friday night. Mitsu took car of it."

"Mitsu believes he punched a tree." Satoro added.

"What?!?! A tree!?!?!?" Emi repeated shocked.

Satoro nodded, "She said she found small pieces of wood that looked like bark when she was cleaning the cuts."

"Cuts?" Emi repeated, "How bad?"

"She said one could have used stitches, but he wasn't going to go to the clinic so she put a few steri-strips to close it." Satoro informed the Takahashi's.

Emi shook her head and glanced at her husband.

"Don't worry. He knows what he's doing. If he says it's not serious, we should believe him." Fujimaro said nodding. He was more concerned about the reason his son punched the tree in the first place. That was out of character for his level headed son. Was it because of Amaya? He looked over at his younger son, "You brother said Amaya-chan looked happy."

Keisuke frowned at the name, "Of course she is. She's not the one that got dumped."

"Honey…" Emi said softly.

"What? I hate that girl! How can all of you forgive her so easily when you saw what happened to Aniki?" Keisuke said angrily.

"Keisuke." Fujimaro voice rumbled sternly.

The young Takahashi lowered his gaze to the table.

Emi sighed and glanced at Satoro. He gave him a light smile before turning to her son again, "We remember every moment of those days honey. Parents feel every minute of their children's distress." She turned to her husband and he took her hand in his. She smiled sadly and looked at Keisuke again, "But then, what would have happened to your Aniki if they had not broken up?"

Keisuke looked up at his mother surprised by the question.

"Would there have been a Redsuns? A Project D?" She saw the serious look on her son's youthful face, "Your Aniki would not have been happy knowing the girl he was with loved another."

Keisuke sighed. He couldn't disagree with his mother on those points.

* * *

Ryousuke was standing by the patio doors staring out into the darkness. This had been a taxing week. With everything that had happened, the one thing that repeatedly kept popping back into his mind was Mitsu. Even now, her aura seemed to be reaching out to him. Though weak it was enough to catch his attention, it's feather like touch a constant reminder in his mind that she was near by. Ryousuke turned and stared at the wall that separated their rooms. He stepped away from the sliding doors and glared at the wall. This was frustrating. He glared at the wall for a moment longer before marching to his door and making his way to the one next to his and knocked on it.

"Come in."

Ryousuke pushed open the door. His eyes immediately met those of Mitsu's. He frowned. She too was standing by the window looking out into the night. He softly closed the door behind him and stood motionless a moment. What was he doing here? He glared at her.

"Ryousuke-san?" She said softly with worry. He looked upset… Mad…

There it was again. His resolve faltered and the hard look in his eyes vanished. Her ability to make him forget his purpose was in itself frustrating but he couldn't bring himself to blame her. No, it was his own weakness. He met her gaze a moment before bowing fully, "I apologize for my actions tonight Mitsu-chan."

Mitsu stared at him unsure what to say. Did he regret kissing her? She was definitely surprised by it. Again. Never once had she thought of being kissed by Takahashi Ryousuke. It was hard enough to imagine him ever having had a girlfriend! But… It had felt… She blushed at the thought. What was she thinking! This was Takahashi Ryousuke!

Ryousuke glanced up from his bowed position when she didn't say anything, "I understand if you are upset. I had no right…"

"Upset?" Mitsu repeated confused. He thought she was upset about the kiss? Upset? No. Confused? Yes. She had found a reasonable excuse for their actions the first time, and there had to be a logical reason for tonight, wasn't there? Because there was no way that they could be attracted to each other…

"Aa. I apologize." He lowered his gaze again.

"Ryousuke-san?" She called.

He raised his eyes to meet hers.

"Please don't do that." She walked up to him and made him straighten, "I'm not upset and… and you don't have to apologize to me."

"It's necessary, I…"

Mitsu cut him off my placing her fingertips gently on his lips. Her eyes automatically rested on them as she did so. Then she slowly looked up and met his gaze, "Please, Ryousuke. Don't apologize…" She slowly removed her fingers from his lips.

They stared at each other a long moment.

What was happening between them? Mitsu searched his eyes for the answer but could not find one. Beautiful… He had beautiful eyes… They weren't cold… Not in the least…

Ryousuke was desperately fighting himself for control over his body. Something about her was pulling him again. He couldn't be weak. He had to stand his ground. He couldn't afford to slip up again. He wouldn't allow himself to.

His bandaged right hand moved to push back a strand of her hair. He pulled back almost immediately and took a step back. Control. He had complete control over his life and a relationship wasn't something he wanted. No. He didn't want a relationship. He saw the confused look in her eyes, "I'm sorry." He said softly and backed away without breaking eye contact with her, until he had reached the door, "Goodnight Mitsu-chan."

Mitsu watched stunned as he carefully pulled open the door and left, "Goodnight Ryousuke…" She whispered.

* * *

Author's Notes:

Juliana: C'est mieux que la pluie!!!!

Yakrian: Sudden yes. Wanted it to seem like when he's around her Boom! All rational thoughts are gone! Hmm.. I should probably fix that and make it clearer! Thanks for letting me know!

Thanks for Reading!!! and for your comments!!!

Cheers,

CelicaChick.


	21. Chapter 21: The Will: Black Flagged

**Chapter 21 – The Will: Black Flagged**

Mitsu opened her eyes sleepily. She had had a restless night. Her parents' lawyer was coming to read the full contents of the Will. She was dreading it. Although it was foremost in her mind, there was something else bothering her too. She climbed out of her bed and walked over to the window. Her snow coloured SW20 loomed like a translucent ghost in the fading darkness of early morning. On the drive back from Yahiko, a strange feeling had overcome her. She stared at the car a moment longer before backing away from the window to get changed.

* * *

He awoke at the sound of Mitsu's door opening and closing. Despite his mind and body's over exhausted state, he still had not been able to sleep soundly. Every little sound seemed to draw him from sleep. Even the thud that came from the room next to his when Mitsu accidentally kicked, elbowed, hit or knocked into the wall. 

He turned to look at the clock. It was close to five am! Ryousuke sighed. She was probably very anxious about the visit her parents' lawyer was going to pay them. He closed his eyes determined to get some more sleep, but what he searched for eluded him. That nagging feeling that had started last night still lingered. On the back of his mind he sensed that today might be a day he wished would never occur. He had a very bad feeling. He frowned. Maybe he should just stay in his room all day. Ryousuke surprised himself with the offhand and irrational thought. He definitely needed more sleep…

The sound of a car engine starting up caused Ryousuke's eyes to open instantly. She was leaving? He tossed aside the covers and walked over to the patio doors. Sliding them open he walked over to the railings. Down below, Mitsu was stepping out of her car and making her way to the rear of the car where she opened the hood. She looked at the engine reflectively.

Ryousuke watched for several minutes in silence before he decided to speak.

"Is something wrong Mitsu-chan?"

Mitsu spun around startled, "Oh! Ryousuke-san!" She tried to regulate her increased heartbeat, "How long have you been there?"

The young man shrugged, "What are you doing out here so early?"

Mitsu glanced at her car again and sighed, "I just had a feeling…"

Ryousuke frowned. A feeling? "I'll be down in a minute." He declared and disappeared back into his room leaving a confused Fukotomi Mitsu staring after him.

Moments later he was strolling towards her dressed in a pair of black sweat pants and a white t-shirt. She couldn't prevent the small smile that appeared on her face. She had never seen him dressed so casually, "It's just a feeling Ryousuke-san. It's nothing serious." She informed him, but he made his way to her car anyway and peered down at the engine.

"You should always trust your feelings when it comes to your car Mitsu-chan. A driver knows their car the best, and if he or she has a bad feeling it is usually warranted." He said simply as he started checking the car's fluid levels. Everything appeared to be normal, "When was the last time you changed the spark plugs?"

"Just before leaving Tokyo." She stood beside him also looking down at the engine. She turned to him when he took a step back and got down on one knee so that he could look under the car. Mitsu copied him, "Oh no…" she sighed.

Ryousuke nodded and straightened, "Looks like you have an oil leak." He turned to her as she stood up again, "Let me get my computer. I want to make sure that's the only problem." He stepped back and started back towards the house.

Mitsu stared after him a moment. He was such an amazing person…

Turning back to her car, she stared down at the engine bay. She hoped there was nothing seriously wrong with it.

Ryousuke appeared within moments, a stern determined look on is face. He set his laptop on the sw20 and started linking wires to the car's onboard computer.

Mitsu moved to his side curiously, "Where did you learn so much about the electronic aspect? Did you take a course?"

Ryousuke shook his head simply and studied some of the figures that popped up on the screen, "Not only is the valve cover gasket leaking but your car is not firing at optimal levels. Some oil may be getting into the spark plug tubes lowering their firing capacity." He moved to overlook the engine bay again and checked a few things only to confirm his hypothesis, "The seals just need to be replaced and the tubes cleaned." He glanced down at his watch, "Come." He walked towards the FC.

Mitsu watched him a second then went after him when he pulled open the passenger side car door and turned to look at her, "Where are we going? It's only about 5:30am! No ones going to be open." She said as she climbed into the car.

Ryousuke shrugged and shut the door. He walked around to the other side and entered the car.

"You couldn't sleep last night." Ryousuke stated casually.

Mitsu frowned as she continued to stare out the window as they drive. How had he known?

"So where are we going?" She decided to ask instead as she turned to him for an answer.

"To visit a friend."

"A friend?" Mitsu repeated curiously.

The man beside her nodded simply.

Mitsu smiled and turned to look out the window again. He was always so serious.

They didn't drive for long before Ryousuke was pulling into the long driveway of another large white house.

"Are you sure we're not going to be bothering your friend?" She asked looking up at all the dark windows of the house.

"Yes." He pulled to the side and turned off the engine, "Let's go." He said glancing at her quickly before stepping out of the car.

Mitsu followed his lead and to her surprise they did not go to the front doors but towards the back of the house where the garage was.

Ryousuke knocked on the door when they reached it.

Mitsu looked about. They had a beautiful garden full of trees and plants. What they were she had no idea.

"Tiger lilies."

Mitsu turned to Ryousuke in confusion.

"The flower you were looking at. They're called Tiger lilies. Those red ones are extremely rare."

Mitsu's continued to regard him in confusion. How did he know what she was thinking? Even more shocking, was his knowledge of the said particular flower.

The door was pulled open then and Mitsu turned to see a man just as tall as Ryousuke-san standing there. A large smile appeared on his face.

"Ryousuke."

"Hyobe."

Mitsu watched quietly as the two men shook hands. He was quite good looking with his clean-cut dark brown hair and well chiseled cheek bones and sparkling dark eyes that suddenly turned onto her.

"Mitsu-chan, Ihara Hyobe. Hyobe, Fukotomi Mitsu." Ryousuke introduced.

Hyobe glanced at Ryousuke with raised brows then turned to Mitsu with a smile and shook her hand, "It's nice to meet you Mitsu-chan."

Mitsu bowed her head politely, "Likewise."

Hyobe smiled and glanced quickly at his friend who returned a passive stare, "Well come in." He said moving aside to allow them to enter the garage.

Ryousuke gently placed a hand on Mitsu's lower back and motioned for her to enter first then he followed after her. He didn't miss the curious look his friend was giving him as he passed by.

"So what have you been up to lately Ryousuke? I haven't heard from you in weeks." Hyobe asked as he led them to an old couch on the far wall of the garage. Every other available space on the walls was covered with shelves containing various boxes and car parts. He motioned for Mitsu and his friend to take a seat.

Mitsu sat down as she continued to study the surroundings.

"I've been busy." He glanced over towards the large table with the bright light overhanging the workbench. To the side was his laptop, "How's the new engine?"

Hyobe shrugged, "It's coming along."

"New engine?"

Hyobe turned to Mitsu curiously, "Aa, I'm designing one which hopefully Toyota will pick up." He smiled at the look of awe on the girls face, "Are you a racing fan?"

"Hai." She nodded simply.

"Hyobe."

The young man turned to his stoic friend who was watching him curiously, "Hmm?"

"We're looking for valve cover seals and spark plug seals for a 1994 SW20."

"An SW20?" He asked surprised, "Are you giving up on rotary engines?  
"It's for Mitsu-chan's car."

"Oh." Hyobe turned to Mitsu, "Well that makes sense." He gave her a smile, "You have an excellent man working on your car." He turned to his friend again, "You'll find them on shelf G4 and T3." He turned to Mitsu again, "Would you like to see some of my designs?"

"Sure." She got to her feet and followed Hyobe to his workbench as Ryousuke made his way to the shelves to find the parts they were looking for. She followed him to the large worktable where several large pages lay spread out.

"These are my original drafts." Hyobe said as he moved a few pages in front of her.

"Wow, you drew these by hand?"

Hyobe nodded.

"They're so detailed."

"I find it helps to draft my ideas on paper before I start inputting them on the computer." He reached for the laptop and showed her the current model he was working on.

"So when do you actually build the engine?"

Hyobe smiled, "The prototype is over there." He pointed to another corner of the room where an engine block laid waiting in a clean open space.

"When will it be finished?" Mitsu asked curiously.

"Probably in another few months. I want to get a few bugs out." He replied as he looked up to see Ryousuke rejoin them with the parts he wanted, "Here." He pushed the laptop across the table to his friend.

Ryousuke pulled the laptop towards him and began studying the diagrams.

Hyobe glanced at Mitsu who had turned back to his drafts, "So, Mitsu-chan, are you seeing anyone?"

He smiled at the young lady's surprised expression, "Um, no. I don't have time, right now."

"Funny, that's what Ryousuke says when people ask him if he's seeing someone." He glanced at his friend who was casually still studying the diagrams. He motioned for Mitsu to come closer.

Mitsu hesitated, so he motioned for her to come closer again. Then he leaned towards her ear and whispered something to her.

Hyobe casually kept an eye on is friend the whole while and noticed him stiffen ever so slightly. When he pulled away from Mitsu, he saw that she was blushing charmingly.

"We should go." Ryousuke's cool voice broke through the silence.

Hyobe turned his full gaze onto his friend and he smirked, "You know Mitsu-chan, this is the first time Ryousuke has brought anyone into my workshop. He knows I like my privacy."

"Oh… I'm sorry."

Hyobe laughed, "Don't be! You're getting the wrong idea! I don't mind! I just don't want anyone to get a whiff of my ideas and then all of a sudden someone else is marketing it. But he brought you here, so he must really trust you." He gave the girl a genuine smile then turned to Ryousuke, "You haven't even brought Keisuke in here before."

Ryousuke shrugged casually, "I'll bring him next time." He met his friend's gaze.

Hyobe continued to smile and glanced at Mitsu-chan who was quietly watching them.

"We need to go." Ryousuke repeated as he moved towards the door.

Hyobe watched as Mitsu made her way around the table towards the door where Ryousuke had pulled it open and was awaiting her. He followed them keeping a critical eye on the two of them.

"It was nice meeting you Hyobe-san. Please let me know how much the parts are and I will pay you back."

"No, you won't. Ryousuke does a lot of work for me, this is the least I can do." He turned to his friend with a smile.

Ryousuke bowed his head appreciatively.

"But, it's not for Ryousuke-san." Mitsu interjected.

Hyobe looked at her curiously. He stole a quick glanced at his friend then turned back to the young lady, "Ryousuke's in a rush. You should get going. Don't worry about the parts." He made a shooing motion for the door.

Mitsu took a step back startled.

"Come back and see me, again." He said as she stepped outside.

"Hai. Thank you again, Hyobe-san."

Hyobe nodded and smiled. He turned to Ryousuke as his friend made his way to the door, "Hey." He held out his arm to block the exit.

Ryousuke met his gaze, "What is it?"

"She's cute." He tried casually but when his friend didn't show any reaction he sighed, "You always say you don't have time for a relationship or that you don't want one, but you and I both know its just excuses."

"Hyobe."

"No. Listen." He placed a hand on his friend's shoulder and glanced briefly at Mitsu who had reached the FC and was waiting, "It's about time you forget what happened in the past." He turned to meet Ryousuke's cool stare, "There's something between the two of you isn't there?"

"You over analyze Hyobe."

"Do I?" He frowned and shook his head, "I don't think so." Then he smiled, "Well you should get going. You don't want to keep Mitsu-chan waiting, and if you ever want to talk, you know where I am."

Ryousuke nodded simply and walked towards his FC.

Hyobe watched them carefully. He hadn't seen his friend in the company of a girl since high school. Not after his break up with Amaya-chan. And for him to bring her here, to his private workshop… He smiled. There was something going on between the two of them… If not yet, soon. The tension and energy radiating from the two of them was very strong. He raised his hand and waved to them as the FC turned about and started back down the driveway. He shook his head smiling. Ryousuke was probably driving himself crazy trying to keep himself from falling for Fukotomi Mitsu… That thought amused him tremendously.

* * *

"Mitsu. Aniki." 

The young lady and the young man glanced up from the engine bay.

Keisuke was walking towards them, "Mom and Dad want you guys to get ready. Adashi-sama is supposed to be here in an hour." He glanced at the SW20, "What are you guys doing anyway?"

"Replacing a few seals." Ryousuke answered as he moved to close the hood.

Keisuke looked at the two of them curiously, "So early in the morning?"

Mitsu nodded and gave him a smile as she locked the car.

Ryousuke started back towards the house followed closely by his brother and Mitsu.

Keisuke moved to push open the door when Ryousuke motioned for him to do so to prevent touching it with his soiled hands. The three of them entered the house and started off in separate ways.

Mitsu entered her room and went straight to her bed to lie down. She was very anxious about seeing Adashi-sama again. Could she bear to hear her parents last wishes read to her? Wasn't it enough that she had many sleepless nights just lying in bed remembering? Sometimes she felt guilty. How could she dread thinking about them, even if it did cause her grief? Was she just being a disloyal child?

She shook her head. Relax. She took a deep breath and tried to clear her mind. She could do this. She was snapped out of her thoughts when someone knocked on her door. She sat up and called for them to come in.

"Hey, I heard you were back." Satoro said smiling as he entered the room and came to sit on the bed beside her, "So where did you and Takahashi Ryousuke disappear to so early this morning?" He asked wiggling his brows as a large smile invaded his face.

Mitsu smiled tolerantly.

Satoro frowned and wrapped his arms around her, "Come here." He said softly as he hugged her close.

Mitsu sighed in his arms.

"Shh…" He stroked her hair softly, "It'll be okay."

"I know." She pulled away from him, "I should get changed."

Satoro watched as she got to her feet and walked to her closet to find a change of clothes, "So were did you guys go?"

"Hmm?"

"You and Ryousuke-san."

"Oh, we went to one of his friend's house for some seals for my car."

"Seals?"

Mitsu nodded, "Everything's okay now."

"Ryousuke-san replaced them for you?"

Mitsu nodded and pulled out a dark blouse and a pair of black pants. She turned and looked at him.

"I guess you want me to leave now."

Mitsu smiled lightly as Satoro sighed and got to his feet. He pulled open the door and turned back to her, "I'll see you downstairs?"

His best friend nodded and he closed the door. The sound of another door closing made him turn to lookdown the hall. Takahashi Ryousuke's eyes met his.

"Satoro-san."

"Aa. Good morning Ryousuke-san." He had a fluffy white towed around his neck and a neat pile of folded clothes in his arms. His hair was oddly ruffled and still damp from his shower.

He nodded and approached where Satoro was standing. He stopped by his bedroom door, "Is everything okay Satoro-san?"

"Hai." He watched as Ryousuke pushed open his door, "Actually could I speak with you a moment?"

The young man before him met his gaze and nodded before motioning for Satoro to enter his room.

Satoro smiled and stepped inside with Ryousuke following behind him. The door was shut and the young medical student went to put away his clothes.

"It's about Mitsu."

There was no response.

"She's really nervous about hearing her parent's will."

"It's a hard ordeal for anyone." Ryousuke said simply as he turned away from his closet and moved to his desk where he took a seat in the chair.

"Hai. I agree, but Mitsu likes to think she's tougher than anyone, and she's not. She'll pretend she's okay."

Ryousuke simply stared at him.

"I'm worried about her…" He sighed.

"Satoro-san. You are welcomed to stay as long as you wish."

"Aa. Thank you, but I have to get back to work tomorrow. I…" He hesitated. Should he mention it to him? He met Ryousuke's eyes a moment, "I do wish to ask something of you though. May I?"

Ryousuke simply stared coolly at him a moment before nodding ever so slightly.

"Ryousuke-san, please take care of her." Satoro found no reaction in his companion so he pushed a little more, "She responds to you… She cares for you… And I think you care for her too."

Ryousuke simply gazed at him coolly, "You misunderstand my feeling Satoro-san." He allowed a small smile to appear on his face to feint amusement, "Mitsu-chan is part of my family now and as such she will be treated as any other member of the Takahashis. There is no need to worry about her welfare."

Satoro frowned. How had he switched such an obvious declaration of his feelings for Mitsu into such an innocent topic of feelings for his family members?

Cunning.

Of course he was. Nothing less would be expected of Takahashi Ryousuke.

"I don't doubt you'll treat her as part f your family. Please don't think that, because I don't." He studied the other man's eyes, "I just wanted 'you' to look after her while I'm gone since the two of you seem to have a strong connection to each other."

That same light non-chalant smile re-appeared on Ryousuke's face, "Is that so?" he shrugged, "There are things people see that are only seen because they really want to see it." He met Satoro's gaze, "But an objective eye can see that there really is nothing there." He didn't miss the narrowing of Satoro's pupils nor the tension that had seemed to creep into his body, raising his shoulders several millimeters.

"Ryousuke-san, are you saying that you have no feeling whatsoever for Mitsu?"

He sounded amused but there was an underlying tone that Ryousuke couldn't miss. His voice was stern, almost clipped. Protective. Very protective. Could it be that he possibly had deeper feelings for Mitsu-chan as well? Ryousuke crossed his arms about his chest.

"That's okay. The two of you have only known each other for a few weeks. You don't have to admit anything right now."

"Is that all?" He wasn't liking the turn the conversation had taken.

Satoro nodded, "You know, "He continued, "I have always worried about what kind of man Mitsu would fall for. Every time she came out with the guys or when we went to see a battle, I was always worried she would fall for one of those guys. None of them would be good enough for her. Then she met you."

The two made eye contact.

"And I wasn't worried at all." Satoro smiled, "The two of you are perfect for each other."

Ryousuke had had enough. He casually uncrossed his arms and stood up, "The Fukotomis' lawyer should be here soon." He said and walked towards the door. He pulled it open and waited for Satoro to exit the room.

Satoro walked towards the door and stopped in front of Ryousuke, "She's a great girl Ryousuke-san. Don't let your past experiences prevent you from seeing that."

"I don't doubt that she's a great person Satoro-san." He smiled lightly, "I'm just not interested."

Satoro smirked, "Right." He swept pass him and out the door.

Ryousuke resisted the urge to sigh again or punch the doorframe in frustration, he couldn't decided which he wanted to do more. Instead he casually stepped out of his room and pulled the door shut after him. He casually joined Satoro's side and they made their way down the stairs into the kitchen where Keisuke and his parents were sitting at the table.

"Ah, good morning Satoro-kun, son." Fujimaro exclaimed as they came into view.

"Good morning Fujimaro-san, Emi-san." Satoro said bowing politely. He nodded to Keisuke and joined them when Emi motioned for him to take a seat.

Emi turned to study her eldest son as he too took a seat at the table, "Did you sleep well?"

Ryousuke nodded and offered her a gentle smile.

"Ryousuke, join us in the living room." Fujimaro said getting to his feet.

The young man nodded and casually got back to his feet. His mother did the same and the three of them left the kitchen.

Satoro watched as the three Takahashis left the room and then he turned to the forth.

Keisuke shrugged, "My parent are acting a little strange this morning."

"Strange?"

"Sometimes they have individual talks with us, but it's usually about something really serious. But today, it's strange because they just wanted to chat and see how I was doing, how project D was going, that sort of thing. I'm guessing they're going to do the same with Aniki."

"Why would they pull you guys aside to talk about those kind of things?"

"I don't know. That's why it's strange." Keisuke answered, "Do you want some tea or coffee?

"I'll have some tea please."

Keisuke nodded and got to his feet to move towards the counter.

"Me too please!"

Keisuke and Satoro turned to see Mitsu enter the kitchen smiling at the young Takahashi.

Keisuke smiled in return and turned to pull out two cups from the cabinet, "So is your car ready for Saturday?"

Mitsu shrugged, "I'm going to test it at Yahiko tonight. Do you want to come practice with me?"

"Sure." Keisuke said carrying two cups of hot tea and placing them on the table in front of Satoro and Mitsu.

"Thank you." They both said simultaneously.

"So what time are we going?" Keisuke asked excitedly.

"Seven? After dinner?"

"Okay." He raised his own cup to his lips to drink his coffee.

"Keisuke."

The three people at the table turned to see Ryousuke standing at the precipice of the kitchen.

"Can I see you a moment?"

"Sure Aniki." He pushed back his chair and followed his brother out of the kitchen and into the foyer, "What is it?"

"Do you have your cigarettes with you?"

Curiousity filled his young face, "No, they're on my desk. Why?"

"I need one." He turned to leave.

"I thought you quit." Keisuke called after him. His brother simply ignored the comment and disappeared up the stairs. He frowned and walked over to the living room where he saw his father holding his mother in his arms as he whispered something in her ear. He stepped back and went back to the kitchen.

"What's wrong?" Mitsu asked as soon as she saw his confused expression.

"Something is going on." He said glancing at Satoro.

"What did he want?"

"A cigarette."

"I thought he quit."

"Me too."

Mitsu was watching the exchange quietly when both men suddenly turned to her, "What?"

"Aren't you going to stop him?" Keisuke asked arching and eyebrow.

"He can make his own decisions." Mitsu answered and sipped her tea.

Keisuke and Satoro exchanged glances. They sat in silence a few minutes. Both noticed the repeated glances Mitsu was taking towards the door, but said nothing.

They exchanged looks when the sound of the doorbell suddenly resounded throughout the house. The three of them sat silently and listened as Fujimaro-san welcomed Adashi-san into his home.

Emi appeared, "Are you ready Mitsu dear?" She asked softly.

Mitsu smiled nervously and nodded. She slowly got to her feet followed by Keisuke and Satoro.

"Keisuke, where's your Aniki?"

"I'll get him." He answered and rushed out of the kitchen.

"Come. We'll meet in the living room." Emi said taking Mitsu's hand and leading her out of the kitchen.

They entered the Living room.

"Fukotomi Mitsu, it's nice to see you again." The short tubby Adashi-san said extending his hand.

Mitsu shook his hand politely and took a seat on the sofa. Satoro sat down beside her as Emi and Fujimaro settled on the love seat.

Adashi-san glanced around the room and turned to Fujimaro.

"He's coming."

Adashi-san nodded and placed his briefcase on the coffee table to open it. He was pulling out a blue folder when Keisuke and Ryousuke stepped into the room and bowed politely.

"Hello Adashi-sama." They both said together.

"Hello. Please have a seat and we'll get started."

Keisuke moved to the couch where Satoro and Mitsu were sitting and sat down beside the latter. His brother on the other hand moved towards the back of the couch and remained standing as he crossed his arms about his chest. His senses were going crazy. Something was going to happen. And he would be ready for it… Whatever it is…

Adashi glanced at Fujimaro and Emi briefly before pulling open the blue folder, "The Will is very informal. Basically all of the bills have been paid off so there is no need to worry about any debts. And although there are other relatives, a cousin, uncle and aunt, they are not mentioned further in the will. All, assets are therefore inherited by you Fukotomi Mitsu on one condition." He paused then and met the young lady's gaze. He then glanced quickly at the Fujimaro and Emi before turning his gaze on Ryousuke.

"What condition?" Satoro asked to spur on the conversation. The room had filled with tension when Adashi-sama's gaze had lingered on Ryousuke for longer than just a passing glance.

Ryousuke felt his stomach tighten at the look but he maintained his composure easily. Here it comes…

Adashi cleared his throat nervously, "Fukotomi Mitsu and Takahashi Ryousuke are to be engaged within one year and married within one year after the engagement. All Assets are then turned over to the trust of both of them."

Ryousuke felt like every cell in his body had just exploded and were spilling out of his pores like hot molten lava.

"WHAT?" Satoro and Keisuke exclaimed loudly as they stared at the lawyer before glancing around the room.

Adashi nodded and pushed the Will and Last testament across the coffee table.

Mitsu reached for it with a trembling hand and read over it. This couldn't be possible… Her parents would never have planned an arranged marriage for her…

"Ryousuke?" Emi's concerned voice called softly as she got to her feet.

The young man stared at his parents blankly. Engaged? Married? What the hell was going on? His arms slowly uncrossed and fell limply to his side.

Keisuke's eyes widened as he read the official words of the engagement. He slowly raised his head and turned to his brother, "Aniki?" He called softly. He saw his brother's jaw clench.

"Is it true?" Ryousuke's voice was hard and cold.

"Son, your mother and I…"

"Is it true?" Ryousuke cut his father off.

The man was stunned. His eldest son had never once been rude to him. But these were extenuating circumstances… He nodded.

"We just want what's best for you." Emi tired.

Ryousuke met her gaze briefly before he turned and stiffly walked out of the room.

"Honey…" Emi called but he didn't stop.

Fujimaro got to his feet and clasped his wife in his arms, "Let him go…"

"Mom? Dad?"

The two adults turned to their youngest son and offered him a sad smile.

"Why?" Keisuke asked confused.

Satoro and Mitsu also turned to them. The young lady stared with glazed eyes.

"Mitsu-chan's parents and us both agreed that both Ryousuke and Mitsu would benefit from the relationship. A bethroval between our children had always been considered, but that first day we met, we all realized that the match was something that would be good for both of them." Fujimaro explained.

Mitsu lowered her parents' Will to the coffee table. They had planned her future? A marriage to Ryousuke-san?

"This is ridiculous." Satoro blurted out as he shook his head.

"Tell me about it." Keisuke second.

Adashi cleared his throat, "I believe that this concludes the contents of the Will." He said moving to place his papers and the Will back into his briefcase.

"Thank you for coming Adashi-san." Fujimaro said extending his hand to the other man.

The lawyer nodded, "If you need to contact me, feel free."

Fujimaro and Emi both nodded and accompanied the man to the door.

Satoro turned to his best friend, "Mitsu?" She continued to stare at her hands. He glanced at Keisuke who was also watching her with worry. But at the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs, both men turned to see Takahashi Ryousuke appear.

"Aniki?" Keisuke called but his brother didn't turn to him.

"Ryousuke." His father tried and his mother reached out to touch him, but he pushed pass them and pulled open the door and stepped out of the house.

Fujimaro and Emi watched sadly and Keisuke rushed to the door, "ANIKI!" He called again.

"Let him go Keisuke." Fujimaro said softly as he placed a hand on his son's shoulder.

Keisuke shrugged out from under his hand, "Why are you guys doing this to him? To them! And what about me? Do you have someone planned for me too!" He spat out angrily. He stepped pass them and rushed up the stairs to go to his room.

Fujimaro sighed and pushed the door closed and locked it. When he turned around he met his wife's worried eyes. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her forehead, "It will be okay. They just need time."

Emi nodded having full trust in her husband. They both turned to look in the living room where Satoro was softly whispering to a comatose looking Fukotomi Mitsu.

She raised her head suddenly and looked towards them.

Both Emi and Fujimaro sighed.

There was so much pain and confusion in those eyes…

* * *

**Author's note:**

Not exactly how I envisioned... But once I've got everything uploaded, I'll come back to change it.

Oh, sorry for the lack of updates. Nothing seemed to work as i wanted for this chapter. I think it was harder than the first racing scene I ever wrote! Anyway...

Cheers,

CelicaChick.

P.S. Thanks to those who have reviewed and yes they are inspiring... like a muse!


	22. Chapter 22: A Vanishing Comet

**Chapter 22 – A Vanishing Comet**

Keisuke was lying on his bed with his hands crossed behind his head. He glared up at the ceiling as a stern frowned marred his face. How could his parents do this to his brother? Why would they do this? He couldn't think of a good enough reason for their strange action. His face blanched several shades. And what if they had someone planned for him? He shuddered then tried to recall their reactions when he had blurted out the query in frustration before making his way to his room. He couldn't recall any definite reaction, but the fact remained that they had set up his brother and they could very well set him up as well. Damn it! He raised his right arm and hit the mattress beneath him in frustration. Just when everything seemed to e getting better, this had to happen. He turned his head to the side to look at the picture on his night table of Ryousuke and himself standing proudly beside their cars.

"Aniki…" The word slipped sadly from his lips.

He reached into his pocket for his cell phone and dialed his brother's cell number. The phone rang continuously a moment before he got the voicemail.

"Aniki, it's me. Call me back." He ended the call and placed the cell phone beside him on the bed.

Where had his brother gone?

Keisuke suddenly hit his head with his hand, "Akagi!" He sprung out of hi bed and walked to his cluttered desk and grabbed his car keys before rushing out of his room, down the stairs, out the front door and to his car.

The yellow FD roared down the streets of the residential area, the unique sound of the rotary engine resounding off the luxurious homes. He turned onto the highway and drive towards his home course anxiously.

Nothing fazed his brother… Not usually… But when it did… Damn it! Why had all this happened?

Keisuke applied more pressure to the accelerator as he merged with the light traffic. Memories of his quiet Aniki after he had broken up with Amaya flashed in his mind and worry overwhelmed him.

No…

Not again…

More pressure was applied to the accelerator as he began to steer through the cars that were currently annoying him by blocking a clear path to his destination.

* * *

Mitsu slowly got to her feet 

Satoro, Emi, and Fujimaro watched her silently.

"Excuse me." She said softly without raising her gaze from the floor and made her way out of the living room and to the stairs. She pushed open her door and stepped inside before gently closing it again. She stared blankly about the room. How had her life gotten this way? She took an uncertain step forward and collapsed under her own weight as the tears she had been withholding silently burst forth…

"I'm sorry if I sound rude Emi-san, Fujimaro-san, but why? Why would you do this to your son? To Mitsu? Look how miserable they are!" Satoro exclaimed as she tried to keep his anger in control.

Emi lowered her eyes and shook her head as her husband sighed.

"Satoro-kun, it was not our intention to make them miserable. Of course the death of…" He fought to control his voice, "Mitsu-chan's parents makes it… very hard…"

Emi clasped her hand over his and squeezed it lovingly. She looked towards Satoro; "We had our reasons in setting up Mitsu-chan and Ryousuke, Satoru-kun."

Satoro frowned, "I'm sorry, but what reason is so important that you would take all control they had over their own lives?"

"We did it, so they could have a life…" Emi answered meeting his eyes.

The young man was taken aback by the intensity of her gaze. Takahashi Emi believed wholeheartedly in what she had just said…

* * *

Keisuke pulled into the parking lot and stepped out of the car. He hadn't seen his brother on the road nor did he seem to be in the parking lot. There only seemed to be tourist around at the moment. He felt like hitting himself in the head again as he climbed back into his idling car. Of course his Aniki wouldn't come here! There were too many people at this time of day! He shifted into first and started for the exit. 

Akina maybe? No, that park would probably be packed on such a sunny day as this. Keisuke frowned. Such a beautiful day had turned into such a sour one.

He pulled out his cell phone, "Fumihiro. Keisuke." He said as he signaled and turned out of the parking lot, "Hey, Is Ryousuke with you?" He asked casually. The man didn't need to know about his brother's private life, "Yeah, everything's okay. I just wanted to talk to him and he's not answering his cell. If you see him ask him to call me." He ended the call. Where else did his Aniki go when something was on his mind? Usually here, but a few other places also came to mind as the memories of his past with Amaya re-surfaced.

* * *

Fumihiro stared down at his cell phone. Keisuke was trying to be casual but he had detected a note of worry in his voice. What was he worried about? The Takahashi's were a pretty private family, and Keisuke was no different. He pulled open his cell phone and dialed Ryousuke's number. There was no answer, "Ryousuke, its me. Give me a call when you get this message." He then grabbed his car keys and headed for the door. If something was bothering Keisuke that much, he had to go find Ryousuke.

* * *

Mitsu wiped the remaining tears from her eyes as she stared down at the plush carpeted floor. Weak. All she felt was weak as she lowered herself to the floor and curled up into a small ball. She wrapped her arms about her knees. Everything was wrong… Her whole life was wrong… 

Alone…

All alone…

The only people that had loved her… Gone…

Gone… Why had she been left behind?

Pain… She ached so badly. Mitsu squeezed herself tighter. She felt like she needed to squeeze herself so tight that it squashed the pain out of her. She closed her eyes tightly… She just wanted all this to end…

Her life… Whatever was left of it… Wasn't worth living anymore…

* * *

Satoro slowly made his way up the stairs and stopped in front of his best friend's door. He knocked on it lightly, "Mitsu?" 

"Please leave me Satoro…" He could here her muffled voice say from across the wooden door.

He sighed, "Okay Mitsu. I'll be in my room okay? If you want to see me?"

Silence.

"Okay Mitsu?"

There was a moment of silence.

"Mitsu?"

"Okay." The reply came back.

"Okay." Satoro said. He sighed and shook his head as he turned and walked to the room he was occupying. He closed the door and looked around the room. He needed to pack his things. But how could he leave now? When his best friend needed him the most. He went to the desk and grabbed his cell phone. He punched in a few numbers and brought the device to his ears, "Hi it's me Satoro. I need a day off tomorrow. Something came up and I can't leave yet." He took a seat on the bed; "I'll try to make it in on Tuesday… Yes… I know… Thank you." He ended the call and flopped back on the bed. He felt so lost as to what he could do for his best friend…

* * *

Keisuke turned off the car and leaned forward to rest his head on the steering wheel. He had been driving for three hours now, checking every single place he could think of that his brother could have retreated to. He was nowhere to be found… 

He leaned back and stared out at the ocean a moment then reached for the cell phone he had tossed on the passenger seat. He dialed his Aniki's number only to hang up when he got the voicemail again.

"Aniki…"

He punched the steering wheel and glared at his phone. His features softened then and he turned to dial another number, "Hyobe-san, its Takahashi Keisuke…"

* * *

Ihara Hyobe ended the call and stared at the phone in his hands. Ryousuke was bethroved? To Fukotomi Mitsu? 

He started dialing his long time friend's number. Keisuke had sounded very worried and no wonder! A guy like Takahashi Ryousuke, you can't just tie down. You'd kill him…

The phone rang several times before going to the voicemail, "Ryousuke it's me. Keisuke just phoned me and told me what happened. He's really worried Ryousuke. Put the kid out of his misery. Give him a call and give me a call. We need to talk." He pulled the phone away from his ear and ended the call. All he could do now was hope that he was okay and that he calls.

Bethroved.

Hyobe shook his head.

Unbelievable.

* * *

Mitsu pulled herself up slowly and angrily wiped her eyes. Life was unfair. She got to her feet and grabbed her car keys from her desk and her jean jacket from the chair and rushed out of the room. She left the house and jumped into her car only to speed as far away as possible. She needed to get away from here… From this place and it's people. She merged onto the highway and pressed further on the accelerator. 

Now that she had recovered from the sorrow of hearing her parents' final wishes, the contents of the will finally hit her. And she was angry to say the least!

Why had they done this to her? Hadn't they trusted her enough to allow her to choose her own husband? Why had they set her up like that? And to someone she hardly knew and was so completely different from. But that was beside the point. Weren't they at all concerned about her happiness?

Betrayed. That's how she felt.

Her parents had betrayed her…

Unbeknownst to her, was that somewhere on another isolated road Takahashi Ryousuke was feeling the same way.

* * *

Keisuke pulled into the long driveway and to the side of the house where he parked his car and went into the house. 

His parents rushed into the foyer.

"Keisuke! Thank goodness you're okay." Emi said going to hug him.

Keisuke hesitated then squirmed out of her embrace, "Of course I am." His voice was clipped, "Maybe you should try worrying about Ryousuke. He's not answering his cell, I can't find him anywhere, and no one I asked had seen him." He turned to glance at his father briefly before stepping pass them and up the stairs.

"Keisuke."

The young man met Satoro's gaze, "Hey."

"Mitsu's gone too." He informed him.

Keisuke frowned, "Do you want to get out of here?"  
Satoro nodded, "Yeah."

"I just want to grab my jacket." Keisuke said and went to his room and came back out in less than a minute. He met Satoro in the hallway and they descended the stairs together.

"Keisuke. Satoro." Fujimaro stepped into the foyer as they reached the bottom of the stairs.

Keisuke looked up at his father with a cool gaze.

"Please step into the living room a moment. We need to talk." His voice was stern as he gave his son a meaningful look and turned to walk back into the living room.

Keisuke glanced at Satoro and the two young men followed Takahashi Fujimaro into the living room where his wife was sitting on the sofa waiting for them.

"Have a seat." Fujimaro motioned towards the couch and watched s the young men sat down reluctantly. He could tell that they were both still quite upset. He took a seat beside his wife.

"The Fukotomi's and us arranged this bethroval between Mitsu and Ryousuke because we believed that was the best thing for them. The Fukotomi's wanted to make sure that Mitsu was taken care of by someone they rusted and believed would be true to her and take care of her for the rest of her life. They believed Ryousuke could do that for her. And just as we did, they saw something between the two of them."

"If all of you saw something between them, why would you put them in a situation like this? Why wouldn't you just let them get together naturally?" Satoro questioned.

"Because my Aniki would never allow that to happen…" Keisuke replied softly. He was beginning to understand his parents' intentions.

Fujimaro and Emi nodded sadly.

"Some people close themselves off once they've been hurt badly. Ryousuke is such a person." Emi added in a whisper, "We believe Mitsu can help him to open his heart again, and that he can help her with the loss of her parents."

Fujimaro and Emi studied the young men sitting across from them. They were both silently digesting the information, the condemning look from earlier, gone from their eyes.

"Aniki is not going to go for it." Keisuke spoke up suddenly as he met his parents' gaze.

Emi turned to her husband.

"That's why we'll have to encourage him."

Satoro shook his head but he was harboring a light conspiratory smile, "I'm against this idea of an arranged marriage, but I'd be happy if they got together."

Fujimaro and his wife smiled.

"It's going to be like moving a mountain." Keisuke mumbled.

Emi laughed lightly. Yes it would be difficult to change Ryousuke's mind especially since he had already taken a stand against having another relationship. But once they convinced Ryousuke, he would end up being happy and his brother would eventually abandon his quest to remain single as well.

"So you understand now Keisuke?" Fujimaro asked meeting his son's eyes.

The young man nodded, "I understand, but I don't like it either." He couldn't get the image of his brother walking out of the room with his hand balled into fists from his mind.

Emi saw the look of worry fill her son's face. She got up and crossed the room to sit on the couch beside him. Wrapping her arms around his shoulders, she squeezed him tightly, "He'll be okay…" She whispered gently. But inside she had her doubts. Had they finally pushed Ryousuke too far?

"I'm okay, mom." He remained in her comforting embrace a moment longer before pulling away and turning to Satoro, "Ready?"

Satoro nodded. He needed some fresh air.

Keisuke turned to his parents, "We're going for a drive."

Fujimaro and Emi both nodded.

"Be careful." The latter added.

Keisuke smiled lightly, "I will."

The two young men got to their feet and left the living room together.

"He accepted that very easily." Fujimaro said frowning.

Emi smiled, "He knows his brother better than you think, Fuji."

Fujimaro continued to frown.

* * *

Hyobe picked up his cell phone and dialed Ryousuke's number again. 

"Ryousuke. Phone me back. I mean it." He left the message and ended the call with a sigh. Where was he? He carried the phone over to the couch and sat down. Reaching for the remote he turned on the small TV in the corner of the room. Since he had received the call from Keisuke that morning, he hadn't been able to concentrate on any of his work. He flipped restlessly through the multitude of channels without paying them much attention.

Suddenly dropping the remote, he fumbled for his cell phone when it started to ring. He glanced at the caller ID long enough to see that it was the person he was waiting for, "Ryousuke, where are you?" He tried to keep his voice calm but he knew he was failing miserably.

"Oh… Keisuke told me what happened this morning. Are you okay? . . . Are you sure? . . . Why don't you come over? . . . Well tell me where you are and I'll meet you. . . Alright. . . You should phone Keisuke, he's really worried. I think he was driving around looking for you. . . Ok. . . Well give me a call . . . Yeah. . . Oh, and Ryousuke, I'm here if you need anything. . . Okay, talk to you later then, Ja." He ended the call, a sense of relief settling over his consciousness. At least he sounded okay and wasn't doing anything rash. Hyobe smirked then. As if Ryousuke would do anything rash anyway!

* * *

Mitsu pulled into the smaller parking lot and turned off the engine. She looked about quietly before leaning back and resting her head with a sigh. Her eyes closed and she relished in the silence and solitude of her car. She groaned when she heard her phone ringing from somewhere in her purse. Her eyes remained closed for several seconds longer hoping that the person who was calling her would just hang up or leave a message. But, with the way her day had been going so far, she should have known better as the caller simply kept calling and calling. 

Her jaw clenched and her eyes opened as she turned and glared at her purse. Finally reaching for it, she dug inside and pulled out the offending noisemaker.

She sighed, "Hi Satoro." She said as casually as she could muster. She smiled when he started to blurt out how worried he was and that he and Keisuke were driving around looking for her and Ryousuke.

"No, I haven't seen him." She said as coolly as she could, but the edge in her tone was undeniable, "Yes, I'm fine Satoro… Why do you want to know?" The frown on her face deepened, "I'm at Mount Yahiko okay? . . . No. . . Not yet . . .Yes, Okay." She ended the call and tossed the phone on the passenger seat.

Great…

She pushed the button to open her sunroof then reached for the lever to recline her seat. Sighing again she stared up at the unclouded blue sky. She lost all concept of time as various memories flooded her mind. It was an hour or two later that she finally fell asleep completely mentally exhausted.

6:43 pm…

A light tapping woke her from her stressed induced slumber. Blinking a few times, she straightened her seat and turned to look out her window only to see a gently smiling Satoro. Behind him an agitated, worried Keisuke as fidgeting. When his gaze met hers he smiled lightly and lifted several white bags he was holding. Mitsu unlocked the door and pushed it open, "Hi."

"Hey. How are you doing?" Satoro asked holding the door open as she stepped out of the car.

The young lady before him shrugged, "I'm fine."

He frowned. Her red, puffy eyes didn't quite agree with her statement, "Come we brought food." He motioned to the bags Keisuke was holding.

Mitsu nodded simply.

"We can eat over there." Keisuke said pointing to a section on the other side of the guardrail where there was a small plateau covered with grass.

The three of them walked across the parking lot, stepped over the guardrail and settled themselves on the ground.

Keisuke passed each one of them a bag and pulled open his own to retrieve the sandwich. He glanced to his side at Mitsu who was slowly unwrapping her sandwich before taking a small bite. She chewed silently as she stared off in the distance. Keisuke turned his gaze away and also stared off at the ocean.

"Why would they do this? It doesn't make any sense."

Satoro glanced at Keisuke then turned to look at the ocean as well, "Is it so bad?"

Mitsu's eyes widened, "Of course it is! I don't want to be bethroved to Ryousuke-san!" She turned to Keisuke and her gazed softened, "No offence Keisuke. Your Aniki is a very nice person but I don't even really know him." She huffed, "and who I marry should be MY choice, MY decision and no one else's! Don't my feelings count for anything?"

Satoro placed a hand on her forearm, "Of course it does… Your parents care how you feel… It's just that maybe… Well who knows what they were really feeling or thinking but I'm sure that they just wanted to make sure you were taken care of."

"Like I can't choose my own husband? So they didn't trust their own daughter's judgment?"

Satoro sighed. Mitsu was coiled so tight it would be hard to reason with her at the moment if she didn't calm down, "They loved you sweetie…" He said softly, "Trust that they were only doing what they thought would be best for you –" He held up a hand when her lips parted to interrupt him, "It might not be the right thing but they did it thinking of you. Don't blame them for that sweetie…" He said softly . He met her gaze and noticed right away that some of the anger, resentment, frustration, whatever she was feeling had lessened a few degrees, "They love you."

"I know…" She choked. And she did… She just couldn't understand what had compelled them to agree to an arranged marriage… And to Takahashi Ryousuke!

She turned to Keisuke, "How is Ryousuke-san?"

The young man turned to her curiously. He hadn't expected her to ask about his brother's state. The thought of his brother cause his worry to creep onto his face again, "I haven't been able to reach him. No one seems to know where he is or has heard from him since this morning." He reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone only to stare at the blank screen. No messages and no missed calls.

"I'm sorry Keisuke-kun…"

The young man turned to her frowning, "You don't have to be sorry Mitsu-chan." He gave her a soft, but there was also this look in his eyes that she didn't quite like.

"In fact, I think you've been good for him and I think he likes your company…"

Keisuke saw the suspicion takeover her features. Oops. Had he said too much?

"Are the two of you part of all this?" Mitsu asked as she lowered her sandwich and glared at Keisuke and Satoro.

"NO!" The two men interjected forcefully.

"We are both against the idea actually." Satoro informed her, "I don't like the idea of you being forced into a marriage Just as Keisuke hates the idea of his Aniki being forced into one."

Mitsu still regarded them suspiciously.

"It's true." Keisuke re-enforced, "You both should have the right to choose and to be happy."

They sat quietly a moment before the obnoxious ringing of Keisuke's phone broke the silence.

The blond young man fumbled to snap open his phone, "Aniki!" He said noticing his brother's number right away, "Where are you?" He demanded, "But…" He was cut off.

Satoro and Mitsu exchanged looks before turning to look at Keisuke again.

"Okay…" He stole a quick glance in Mitsu's direction before lowering his gaze, "Hai…" His brows furrowed, "Why?"

Mitsu watched him. She was starting to feel uneasy. The look he had stolen in her direction had not gone unnoticed.

"Hai, I understand… Hai…" He ended the call and stared at his cell phone frowning.

"Is everything okay?" Satoro asked breaking the silence.

Keisuke didn't look at them as he shrugged. He moved to stuff his cell phone in hid pocket, "He didn't say much. Just wanted to make sure I knew he was fine." He looked up at Satoro and Mitsu then. They all knew that was a bunch of crap… How could he be okay with all this? Even his brother couldn't be that conforming to their parents wishes…

"Where is he?" Mitsu asked as she lowered her gaze to her sandwich and fiddled with it.

"He didn't say. Said it wasn't important." He brought the sandwich to his lips and took a bite.

"Keisuke-san, Mitsu-chan." An excited female voice called.

The three friends turned around to see Amaya-chan walking towards them smiling and waving.

"Great…" Keisuke said beneath his breath as his gaze hardened and his whole body stiffened.

"Having lunch?" Amaya asked reaching them.

Mitsu nodded, "Amaya-chan this is my best friend Arihyoshi Satoro from Tokyo. Satoro, this is Oonishi Amaya from the Kamikaze Racers."

Satoro got to his feet and went to shake her hand. He gave a polite bow and released her hand, "Nice to meet you."

She smiled politely, "And you." She then turned to Keisuke, "Is Ryousuke here as well?"

"No." One curt one worded answer.

"Oh." Her gaze lowered at Keisuke tone.

"I was going to practice a little after we finish eating." Mitsu said to break the tense silence.

Amaya turned to her and smiled, "Well then, I should get a few runs before you start. Ja." She gave a little wave and with one last glance in Keisuke's direction walked back to her red FC.

Mitsu and Satoro turned to Keisuke when they heard him re-wrapping his sandwich. He tossed it back in the plastic bag.

Mitsu reached out to touch him. When he looked up at her, she gave him a smile, "So are you going to show me some of your best moves?" She teased.

Keisuke frowned, "You're not going to be able to keep up to see any of them."

Mitsu shook her head, "Right!" She bit into her sandwich.

To her other side Satoro was smiling. His best friend would definitely be okay with the Takahashi's…

* * *

Author's note:

This chapter didn't come out as I planned either. I guess sometimes the chapters you have the biggest plans for are alwyas the hardest to write because you want them to have an impact.

In any case, my worst fear would be that the plot has gone over the top and I've lost complete control of the story!

Always, glad to hear from people!

Cheers,

CelicaChick.


	23. Chapter 23: Racer's Rage

**Chapter 23 – Racer's Rage **

Ryousuke stuffed his hands deep into his pant pockets after shutting the car door and activating the alarm. He stood motionless a moment. A picturesque vision of a man standing stock still, his chin slightly tilted upwards and into the wind which caressed his dark hair with its gentle invisible fingers. His jaw was set and his posture depicted grace, power and confidence. But his eyes… they were hard and cold… But every now and then, if one looked hard and long enough, there appeared a glimmer of something… Anger. Doubt. Frustration. Confusion. Sadness. Each fought for the right to break through the young man's stoic exterior.

In his line of vision stood a modest white two-storied building. Parked just in front of it was several low attention grabbing cars, but further to the right on the far side there were two large black semi-trailers. He let his eyes rest on the sparkling blue paint splashed on its side. The he took a step to the side and turned away as he walked in the opposite direction and towards the comforting sounds of engines, tires and human beings being pushed to the limit.

One car. There was only the sound coming from one car. He walked up a small bank of grass and the informal permanent road circuit presented itself in front of him. To the far left he could vaguely see a small crew of people informally set up at the area reserved to pit during races.

He turned and started in the opposite direction. Walking parallel to the road circuit, he came to a stop at a certain corner that he knew posed a potential problem to many drivers. But their driver shouldn't have any problems. He moved to stand further away from the course and angled himself in a way that gave him the best view of the corner where the angle shifted unevenly. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. Lighting one he stared out at the track as the sound of the highly tuned car approached. His eyes narrowed as he saw the first sign of headlights approaching. He exhaled the smoke and brought the cigarette to his lips again. Then, there it was. The black painted piece of metal adorned with a blue-flaked design and sponsorship logos emerged from the darkness. It roared as its driver geared down and drifted into the corner. A slight switch in the drift angle in mid-drift and he the car cleared the corner.

Ryousuke watched as the red taillights of the FD disappeared around the next bend and into the concealing darkness. He brought the cigarette to his lips again…

* * *

Mitsu climbed into the snug bride bucket seats and started buckling the restraints. She watched as Keisuke shut his own door and started the yellow FD. Satoro had asked to come with her but she had wanted to drive alone. She needed the time to think. Besides, she thought better and drove better when she was alone. She shifted into gear when Keisuke turned to her and nodded his head before starting off. 

In the corner of her line of vision she could see Amaya-chan and the Kamikaze racers assembled together watching in anticipation. She felt vulnerable now that they all knew her real identity. She didn't know why it affected her so; it wasn't that big of a deal. The car rolled casually forward and followed behind the yellow FD out of the parking lot. Her right foot was itching to press down on the accelerator. She frowned when Keisuke kept driving at the controlled pace. Why wasn't he speeding up? She had to touch her brakes when she suddenly got too close. What the heck was he doing?

* * *

"Are you going to keep this pace? Cause I think Mitsu's getting a little restless back there." Satoro said as he continued to stare in the side view mirror at the white SW20 riding up their backs, braking, and doing it again. 

Keisuke nodded, "My Aniki wants me to shut her back."

"WHAT?" Satoro turned to him shocked, "Why? Why would he want you to do that?"

Keisuke shrugged, "He didn't say. He asked if she was going to practice and when I told him yes he asked me to drive in front and keep her from going all out."

Satoro glanced back again. Mitsu was starting to swing from side to side to show her impatience. He smirked. Takahashi Ryousuke knew her quite well after all…

"What?"

"I bet your brother told you to hold her back to keep her from pushing herself too hard and getting into trouble."

Keisuke stole a quick glance at him before swinging to the right.

Satoro immediately glanced back. Mitsu was trying to get pass them, "She knows you're blocking her now."

The young man beside him nodded simply and kept a focused gaze on the roar and his rearview mirror. She wasn't going to pass him.

* * *

Matsushita Yukio stepped towards the Black FD as it rolled to a stop close to them. The Driver side door opened and the man inside looked straight at him, "You guys will never guess who I just saw." He had a large smile on his face. 

"Knowing you, it was probably a beautiful woman." One of the men declared. Laughter broke out among the crew.

"Better." The driver said as he started pulling at the restraints.

Furotoku Ken stepped forward, "Okay. Who did you see Ichiro-kun?"

"Akagi's White Comet." He shrugged but the excited smile said it all.

Ken and Yukio exchanged looks.

"Where?" Yukio asked looking about.

"Corner 5. The odd one."

"That's not too far from here." Ken said turning to Yukio again. His partner nodded and turned to the driver, "One more round Ichiro-kun. We're going to go find out if we can get him to join us."

The driver nodded, "Hey, see if he wants to play with me a bit."

Yukio glanced at him and shook his head at the excitement in the young man's eyes.

"What? It's the white comet!"

"We know." Yukio said and waved him off.

Ichiro pulled the door closed and pulled away from his crew.

Yukio turned to Ken and nodded and they started walking away from the rest of the crew.

"Looks like it's our lucky day." Ken said smiling.

His teammate nodded, "We'll be luckier if he joins us."

"I wonder what he's doing in Fukushima. It's a little far for him."

Matsushita Yukio nodded.

The two men slowed their pace as they saw the young man standing in the distance, a cigarette between his lips.

"Why do you think he's here?" Ken repeated.

"Why would any racer be at a circuit?" Yukio replied. He saw the young man stiffen suddenly and remove the cigarette from his mouth. He knew they were there.

"Hello Ryousuke-kun. We heard you were here."

The young man glanced at them briefly when they addressed him, then turned to stare out at the track again, "What are you dong here Yukio-san, Ken-san? Did you not say you were going to be at Tochigi?" He asked casually.

"Hai. We are." Ken answered with a nod, "We're just taking a break and having some fun tonight."

Ryousuke glanced at them again and brought the cigarette to his lips.

"Why don't you come join us?" Yukio suggested casually.

The young man continued to stare at the track in silence.

"What about a few laps then?"

Ryousuke turned to them with a serious look.

The two men smiled. It was indeed their lucky day.

"Let's go." Yukio motioned as he started back in the direction from which they had come, "Ichiro our driver wants to meet you."

"Actually, he really would like to race with you." Ken informed him with a smile which quickly faded when he looked over at the young man.

"Ichiro is a fan of yours and has been religiously following Project D." Yukio added as they walked.

Ken kept a watchful eye on the young man who continued to remain silent. He knew Takahashi Ryousuke was quite the serious young man but he had this ominous feeling that something was wrong.

"So how did the battle go yesterday?"

"They were both successful." Ryousuke answered simply as he continued to stare in front of him.

"That's good. Ichiro will be glad to hear the result." Yukio said as they neared the area the crew had settled.

"Follow me Ryousuke-kun, I'll get them to open the gate for you. Are you parked in the main lot?" Ken asked.

"Hai." He moved to follow Ken-san as Yukio nodded to them and continued towards the crew.

"He's all grown up." One of the men stated as the crew approached him.

Yukio nodded, "He's always been a grown up it seems."

"Is he coming?"

The men turned to see that Ichiro had pulled up to them and was watching them excitedly.

"He's getting his car." Yukio told him smiling. And as though on cue, the sound of a well maintained turbo-charged rotary engine echoed in the night's silence.

All heads turned to the on-coming lights as the famous white FC of Akagi's comet rolled onto Ebisu circuit.

Ryousuke pulled up towards the group and slid open his window when Yukio walked over to him.

"Ryousuke-kun, please meet Sato Ichiro. Ichiro this is Takahashi Ryousuke."

Ichiro was all smiles, "It's great to finally meet you!" He exclaimed through his open window.

Ryousuke nodded simply, "Likewise." He glanced over at Yukio-san.

"Go ahead." The man said with a smile.

Ryousuke nodded to him and turned to Ichiro who was still smiling widely at him. Usually he had no problems ignoring that look, but today, it just annoyed him to no end. He gave the man a casual nod and rolled up his window. Placing the car in gear, he accelerated away from the group of men.

Ichiro watched as the FC drove off.

"What the?" Someone exclaimed in surprise.

They all watched in confusion as the white FC came to a halt and backed towards them. It stopped beside the FD and the young man inside turned to look at Ichiro and nodded for him to go ahead.

Ichiro's heart raced and his eyes widened.

"Well don't keep him waiting. Get going!" Yukio exclaimed smiling. He felt just as anxious to see Ryousuke in action.

Ichiro blinked at the sound of crew chief's voice and immediately placed his car into gear and sped off.

Ryousuke took off after him without a glance at the others.

"300 horses versus 200 hundred something horses?" One of the men said fascinated, "Is that fair?"

"Having Takahashi Ryousuke be the one driving the FC is unfair to Ichiro. You'll be surprised how well he uses those 200 hundred something horses!" Ken replied chuckling.

"They're at the first corner!"

"Look at that twin drift!"

The men went quiet after the two cars straightened at the exit of the corner.

Yukio and Ken smiled.

Takahashi Ryousuke was still as amazing as ever.

* * *

Mitsu's grip on the steering wheel tightened and loosened repeatedly, "Come on Keisuke! What are you doing?" She exclaimed out loud as she cut to the right. 

The yellow FD cut in front of her again, "Ugh! Keisuke! I'm going to kill you after this!" She swerved to the left then immediately to the right again. The yellow FD mirrored her perfectly.

"Ugh!" Mitsu breathed through clenched teeth.

* * *

Ichiro rolled to a stop beside his team and opened his window. The FC pulled up beside him. 

"Is something wrong?" The cool voice asked.

"Not at all." Ichiro replied.

Ryousuke nodded. He was still smiling that damned smile. He nodded to the track again, "Serious this time." He saw the other man's smile widen even more if that was possible. He turned away and closed his window before taking off.

Ichiro glanced at his crew then took off after him.

"This is gonna be great!" Someone yelled.

"Too bad we don't have any cameras." Ken sighed, "I would love to see this battle."

They watched as the two cars dashed into the first corner then disappeared.

* * *

Ryousuke glanced back at the black FD with a blank expression as they exited the corner. 

'_Fukotomi Mitsu and Takahashi Ryousuke are to be engaged within one year and married within one year after the engagement.' _

Adashi-san's words echoed in his mind. He unconsciously applied more pressure to the accelerator for a split second before he frowned and released it. He had to stay under control. He glanced in the rear-view mirror to find the other car following him with little difficulty. Maybe it was time to increase the speed to give the other driver a bit of a challenge. He glanced back again before accelerating and waiting. He smirked suddenly. Ichiro-san was going to try and make a move soon. He could feel it. And here it was. The Black FD swerved to the outside as they started towards the next corner, and as Ryousuke down geared and pressed the brakes, the FD cut towards the inside. Ryousuke allowed his car to drift towards the outside and watched as Ichiro took the inside and cleared the corner in front of him.

Predictable.

Ryousuke's eyes narrowed as he scrutinized the car in front of him.

' . . ._ engaged within one year and married within one year after. . . '_

Damn it. He needed to forget that and focus.

300 horses. It wasn't just the sound of the exhaust that told him that. Every racer knew that Rotary Excellence competed in the 500 class. Ichiro's driving was smooth…

Unlike his life right now. He thought bitterly.

Ryousuke mentally berated himself.

Focus!

'. . . _and married within one year. . .'_

His jaw clenched and he re-adjusted his grasp on the steering wheel. Corner 5 loomed ahead.

He couldn't understand his parents' betrayal.

Betrayal… That's what it felt like. After everything he'd done, sacrificed, to make them happy, to make them proud… It wasn't enough.

Behind his back, they had found him a future wife.

Another aspect of his life where he had no longer any control.

His grip tightened on the steering wheel.

No!

He had had enough.

He'd given them as much of himself as he could.

He was tired of holding back. His foot pressed down on the accelerator as they entered corner five. The FC barreled in, narrowly squeezing it's right front end in the gap left by the FD. He held it there and waited. In the next few seconds the FD's drift angle adjusted to the change in the corner.

Just as before.

Ryousuke glanced at him briefly and continued with his line. His front end slid off the track and onto the dirt causing it to fly in his wake. He tapped the gas to initiate the contact of his front tires back onto the asphalt before accelerating out of the corner in the lead. He didn't look back.

' . . ._ engaged within one year and married within one year after. . . '_

Two years…

He opened the throttle completely…

* * *

Mitsu yanked up her e-brake and removed her safety harness before jumping out of her car and storming over to the Yellow FD who's driver simply rolled down his window, "What was that Keisuke!" She demanded coming to a stop in front of him, her hand placed on her hips as she glared at him. 

"What? If you're going to battle Amaya, get used to it. Pass me." He said casually.

Mitsu stared at him, "She's not going to be blocking like you were doing Keisuke." She was a little calmer now.

"You don't know that." The young man replied.

"He's right." Satoro said leaning forward so that he could see her.

Mitsu sighed, "I just want to drive! Not hang out behind you."

Keisuke cocked his head and met her eyes, "Then pass me."

"Fine." Mitsu turned on her heals and marched back to her car, "Argh!" She just needed… She just needed release! And hanging out behind him was not giving her any. She pulled open her car door and strapped herself in. She lowered the e-brake, shifted into gear and slammed on the accelerator. The SW20's rear end swung laterally with the force, before peeling out. It darted forward towards the exit. Just a few meters and she'd be in front…

She slammed on her brakes just as she was about to exit the lot. The yellow FD had cut in front of her.

"Argh!" She fumed and tried to get around him. But just as before the FD continued to block her. She took a deep breath to try and calm herself. Getting angry wasn't going to help her. She would just have to outsmart him. She let her foot off the accelerator a slight touch and allowed some distance between the cars. She watched as the FD continued without a change in pace. Keisuke didn't even seemed fazed.

Bethroved…

She shook her head. Why?

An image of Takahashi Ryousuke flashed in her mind. Her grip on the steering wheel lightened unconsciously. Engaged to him in a year? And married to him a year after? She huffed unbelievably. Wasn't this supposed to be the modern age? With equal rights and the freedom to have individual opinions, feelings, and the power to choose? What had gone wrong?

Mitsu shifted into a lower gear. What was she supposed to do with her life now? She tapped the gas and brake simultaneously and down geared. Her parents were gone, she was living with strangers, and she was bethroved! Someone had to see the ridiculousness of the situation!

She slammed on the brakes.

In front of her, the yellow FD's emergency lights were flashing as it braked and slowed to a stop. What was going on now? She pulled up beside the FD and lowered her passenger side window, "What's wrong?" She called over to the young man.

"Nothing. Do you want to go for another run or head home?"

"Are you going to keep blocking me?"

Keisuke nodded. She was definitely not paying as much attention to her driving as she should have been. That was clear in the past few minutes.

Mitsu frowned, "Let's just go then." She said and raised her window.

She lowered her e-brake and was getting ready to leave when she saw Satoro climb out of the FD. He walked towards her passenger side door so she unlocked it and watched as he climbed in.

"I'm coming to ride with you."

Mitsu shrugged and followed the FD.

"Are you okay?"

Mitsu glanced towards her passenger, "I'll be fine."

"I hate it when you say that."

"Well what do you expect me to say? Mitsu exclaimed in frustration.

Satoro glanced at her calmly. She didn't turn to him, but kept her gaze locked on the road and the yellow FD, her fingers gripping the steering wheel tightly.

"That's a start. Something. It's not good to keep everything to yourself al the time, Mitsu."

"There's nothing to share." She was back under complete control of her emotions.

"Mitsu…"

"What?" She turned to give him a meaningful glare, "I don't want to talk about it Satoro. Can't you understand that?" She almost pleaded the last part.

"Why?" His voice was soft.

Mitsu hesitated, "Because it hurts…"

Satoro continued to watch her in silence.

"To think that they didn't trust me enough… That they had to find me a husband… It's like I never even knew them… And to keep this from me… Not even telling me what they were thinking… I fell like… Like… Like they betrayed me…"

Satoro was shocked. Betrayed? Her anger stemmed from her pain… She wasn't really angry… Just hurting…

"I really don't want to talk about it anymore Satoro." Her voice had re-adopted its casual tone again.

He looked at her amazed at how much control she had over her emotions, "Just one last question."

Mitsu sighed.

"If he asks, will you marry him?"

She stiffened in her seat, "Do you know what you're saying?"

"Hai."

"Then why ask? Nothing of the sort will ever happen."

Satoro turned away from her for the first time since he had started this conversation, "Maybe not right now… But it will…" He said under his breath.

"Pardon? I couldn't hear you."

"It's nothing." Satoro turned to her and gave her a gentle smile.

She was skeptical, he noticed but she chose not to push the subject. Instead she turned to concentrate on the road again.

They drove in silence a while longer until Satoro could feel his best friend taking repeated glances in his direction, "What is it?"

"Why was Keisuke-kun trying so hard to block me?" She asked casually, "It's not something he would do. I was sure he would have rather raced me then block me for an hour."

Satoro laughed lightly, "I'm sure he would have rather race you too!"

"Then why?"

Satoro turned serious.

Mitsu glanced at him when he didn't speak right away. Their eyes met.

"Because Ryousuke-san told him to."

Mitsu turned away as though she had been slapped. She was arrow straight in her seat, eyes glued to the road, knuckles white from her death grip on the steering wheel.

They drove the rest of the way to the Takahashi Residence in silence. Mitsu pulled to a stop beside the FD and turned the ignition into the off position.

'_He hasn't come back.'_ Satoro thought looking at the empty space usually occupied by the famous white FC. He stepped out of the car and watched his best friend.

"Don't look at me like that Satoro. I'm not going to break."

"Maybe it would be better if you did. I know I'd feel much better."

Mitsu frowned and turned to Keisuke who was just climbing out of his car. His eyes rested on the empty spot momentarily before he turned to them, "You guys go on in first." He said casually.

Satoro nodded in understanding while Mitsu gave Keisuke a sympathetic smile before the two of them walked away around the corner and the front entrance of the house.

Keisuke watched them leave before reaching into his pocket and pulling out his cell phone. He dialed his aniki's number and again received no answer, "Aniki. We're home. I did what you told me. She was kind of pissed, but anyway, give me a call okay? Ja." He ended the call and raised his head to look up at the dark sky. He needed a smoke. He pulled open his car door and reached inside to the glove box where he retrieved a pack of cigarettes. Pulling one out, he lit it and brought it to his lips.

"I thought since your brother stopped smoking, you would have too…"

Keisuke turned to the voice and saw his mother walking towards him. He turned away and said nothing.

Takahashi Emi sighed, "Have you heard from him?" She asked softly.

Keisuke nodded.

"Is he okay?" She asked when her youngest son didn't volunteer any information.

"He always says he's okay."

Emi nodded. Of course. Ryousuke would never admit to anything else… Especially not to his younger brother who looked up to him.

"Can you pick up Tsugumi tomorrow? Her parents are going to be away this week."

Keisuke nodded.

Emi turned to look at the sky when he agreed.

"It's getting late. Don't you have to be up early tomorrow?"

"Your father is going alone tomorrow. I'm taking the day off just. I have to make sure Ryousuke's okay."

Keisuke turned to stare at his mother and finally noticed the deep frowns of worry on her exquisite features. He turned away. As much as he wanted to comfort her and assure her that his Aniki was alright, he couldn't. The whole situation with the bethroval, confused him, and he felt… He wasn't sure how he felt anymore. He turned to her when she sighed.

"I'm going to make some tea. Would you like some?" She asked turning he eyes on him.

Keisuke shook his head.

Emi gave him a light smile, "Okay. Don't stay out to long." She said and reached out to touch his arm gently before turning and walking back towards the house.

Keisuke watched her silently. When she disappeared into the house he brought the cigarette to his lips and turned to look at the sky again. Aniki…

* * *

Ryousuke rolled to a stop beside the FD and opened his window as the other driver pushed open his door, "Is everything okay?" He asked casually. 

"Oh yeah! I'm just going to take a break and get something to drink. You can go on ahead." Ichiro exclaimed smiling as he finally freed himself from the restraints and climbed out of the car to stretch.

Ryousuke nodded simply and closed his window before taking off again.

Ichiro lowered his arms and watched as the car got further away.

"So?" Yukio asked moving to stand beside him.

"The whole time I felt him holding back. When I was in front, it felt like I was trying to hold back a storm from taking over. When he finally passed me… I could tell he wanted to push harder and he did for a split second. Then he held back."

"Ryousuke-kun only uses as much of his abilities as he needs to."

"Not anymore!" Someone exclaimed as excited chatter broke out among the crew.

Yukio and Ichiro turned to look out at the track and saw the white FC performing a very aggressive drift.

Furotoku Ken walked over to Yukio's side, "Something's changed. There was something different about him tonight."

Yukio nodded silently as he frowned. He watched the FC dive into another corner with that same breath griping aggression then disappear around the bend. The loud roaring of the FC's engine echoing briefly before fading in the night's silence.

* * *

**Author's note:**

Sorry it's been a while... I've been training for a competitive sport team lately (hoping I make the cut) and have been slowly getting my ideas in writting in the small time before going to bed.

I hope you guys are still enjoying the story. I'd love to hear from you. Oh sorry i had to re-submit this chapter so that i could change Team RE's driver's name... I already had an Isamu in the story!

Cheers,

CelicaChick.


	24. Chapter 24: Pinched

**Chapter 24 – Pinched**

Mitsu pulled into an empty parking stall and raised the e-brake. She revved the engine once, twice… A beautiful sound. She had missed this. With a sigh she turned off the ignition and reached towards the passenger side to grab her school bag. She stepped out of the car and locked it before turning to head towards the building for her first class.

Her smooth confident gait faltered when her eyes met his from across the parking lot. They stared at each other briefly before turning away and walking in opposite directions. So he had showed up… Of course he would… He was Takahashi Ryousuke after all… She was deep in thought as she entered the building.

"Good morning Mitsu-chan!"

Mitsu smiled as Isamu approached her, "Good morning."

"Are you okay?" He asked immediately sensing something different about her this morning.

"Hai. Just tired."

Isamu nodded, "Were you studying all night like Ryousuke? Speaking of which where is he?"

"No. Just a late night. I don't know." She shrugged and looked away.

Isamu looked down at her curiously. Ryousuke usually accompanied her to her class in the morning. He glanced at his watch, "Well you better get going or you'll be late. See you at lunch." And before she could tell him that she wasn't going to join them he took off down the hall. He continued out of the building across the parking lot to his genetics class. A smile came to his face when he saw his friend standing outside the building surrounded by girls.

"No, she's not my girlfriend." Ryousuke answered casually.

Isamu chuckled. He must have had a good weekend. He was actually talking to the girls today, "Sorry ladies, could I speak to Ryousuke-san please?"

The girls 'awed' and mumbled their disappointment but slowly dispersed. Isamu turned to his friend.

Ryousuke raised a lit cigarette to his lips.

Isamu frowned, "I haven't seen you smoke in a long time."

His friend made no attempt to say anything. He studied him carefully. He looked tired, but still quite alert, "So have you been getting a lot of questions about letting Mitsu drive your car?"

Ryousuke put out his cigarette in the ashtray beside the garbage can, "We're going to be late for class." He said simply and walked into the building.

Isamu walked alongside him into the building and couldn't help noticing the people they passed murmuring and looking at his friend, "I seriously don't know how you can ignore all this so easily. It doesn't distract you?"

Ryousuke shook his head, "I don't let it." He said sternly as they entered the lecture hall. The soft buzz of chatter stopped as all eyes landed on Takahashi Ryousuke.

Isamu could feel his whole body go tense. Glancing to his side he watched his friend casually continue into the class. He scrambled after him and took a seat next to him. The chatter re-started as their classmates continued to stare. When Ryousuke casually pulled out his notebook, Isamu did the same, "You didn't accompany Mitsu-chan this morning." He smirked, "Trying to prove something? Or should I say disprove some rumors going around?"

"The professor is here."

Isamu turned to the front of the lecture theatre. So he was…

"Mitsu-chan looked tired this morning. In fact so do you." He opened his notebook, "Were you guys studying last night?" He glanced at his serious friend, "Or maybe the two of you were getting to know each other?" He teased. He enjoyed trying to rile his stoic friend. His smile dropped from his face when Ryousuke turned to him with a cold stare.

"Drop it Arishima Isamu."

Shock filled his whole being. His teasing have never had any sort of effect on his friend before. He turned to look at the professor again. He turned to his friend again.

"Listen Ryousuke. I didn't mean anything by it. I was just trying to rattle you." And rattled he had become. Suddenly a thought came to mind. He frowned, "Did you and Mitsu-chan have a fight?"

The buzz in the room seemed to increase. Isamu groaned. Shit. He turned to apologize to his friend only to see that Ryousuke's cold eyes were already on him.

"For the last time Arishima Isamu, Drop. It." He emphasized sternly. He held Isamu's gaze a moment longer then turned to focus on the professor.

Isamu straightened in his seat. Great… But what the hell happened to Ryousuke and Mitsu-chan? A soft tap on his shoulder made him turn in his seat to look at the person behind him.

"Is it true? Did they break up? Fukotomi Mitsu's single again?" The man asked curiously.

Isamu stole a side-glance at his friend's stoic face before turning to the man again, "That's none of your business." He said and straightened in his seat again. He heard the man curse him and he sighed inwardly.

The class went by too slow for Isamu. He really needed to talk to his friend. When the professor finally dismissed them he rushed to pack his bags and waited as Ryousuke leisurely packed his. The lecture theatre was almost empty when Ryousuke hoisted his bag onto his shoulder and met his gaze.

Isamu nodded and turned to lead the way. The two friends walked out of the building where Ryousuke immediately reached into his jacket pocket for his pack of cigarettes. He pulled one out and proceeded to light it.

"Ryousuke." He said as they walked, "Seriously, is everything okay?"

"Aa."

Isamu frowned, "Well then is Mitsu-chan okay?" He tried.

Ryousuke remained silent a moment, "That is something you would have to ask her."

They walked on in silence until they reached the library where they stopped. Isamu turned to his friend, "I'm sorry about brining that up in class. You probably didn't need more rumors flying around."

"It doesn't matter." Ryousuke answered simply. He glanced at his watch then looked up at Isamu and gave him a nod of his head before walking off.

Isamu watched as he walked away. As he neared another building, Genjo met up with him and the two of them entered together. He sighed and shook his head before turning and entering the library.

* * *

Genjo followed his friend out of the lecture theatre, "Did you get any of that?" 

Ryousuke nodded simply.

"Figures. So could you explain it to me later?"

"Aa."

Genjo looked about him, "Hey aren't we going to meet up with Mitsu-chan?"

"No."

That surprised him.

"No? Why not?"

Ryousuke didn't bother to answer him.

"Is she joining us?"

His friend shrugged. What was this? He frowned and stared ahead of him. Sure everyone seemed to be talking about him and Mitsu-chan today, but that was to be expected. It wasn't everyday one saw someone besides Ryousuke driving his FC, let alone a girl!

It was then that he noticed that they weren't walking towards the cafeteria, "Aren't you joining us for lunch?"

Ryousuke shook his head.

"No?" he was surprised.

"I have some research to do."

"More research? It's not about that racer guys again is it?"

"No."

Genjo sighed, "Well alright. See you later then, Ja."

Ryousuke nodded and stopped in his tracks long enough tot watch his friend take off in another direction. He started towards the law building.

"Genjo, finally." Isamu exclaimed as their friend joined him and Etsuya at the table, "Where's Ryousuke?"

"He said he had some research to do."

"What about Mitsu-chan?" Etsuya asked raising a curious brow.

Genjo shrugged, "He said he wasn't meeting with her today."

"He didn't escort her to class either this morning."

The three friends sat in silence a moment.

"You don't think it's about those rumors flying around do you?"

"Highly unlikely. They never bothered Ryousuke before." Etsuya stated, "Unless he's avoiding her for her sake."

"Do you think that could be it?" Isamu asked.

Etsuya shrugged, "Nothing is for sure when we're discussing Ryousuke."

"I wonder where Mitsu-chan is." Genjo said looking about. He looked out the large glass partition. She wasn't sitting under her usual tree either.

Isamu's face paled, "maybe we should go look for her…"

Etsuya studied him, "What's wrong?"

"I sort of… Well I asked Ryousuke if he and Mitsu had a fight during our class and, well I guess people heard. So now a few people have been wondering if they broke up."

"A few people is going to end up being everyone…" Etsuya concluded.

"Broke up? They aren't even dating!" Genjo exclaimed shaking his head.

"That may be so, but everyone is jumping to conclusions seeing Mitsu-chan's close presence with Ryousuke."

Isamu nodded, "It is hard to believe they aren't dating. With all the attention he gives her. Not that it's much, but it's way more than he's ever given a girl!"

His two friends nodded in agreement and they fell silent again.

"We should find her…" Isamu said again, "I mean what if that guy hears this rumor and goes after her again?"

They exchanged looks then without another word started packing their bags again.

"She could be anywhere." Genjo said as they walked out of the cafeteria.

"Well we know she likes to eat outdoors." Isamu said.

"Let's split up." Etsuya suggested, "I'll go this way." He took off without waiting to see in which direction his other two friends were headed. He walked towards the library and entered the building. Now where was he?

He started for the medical section of the library and walked around but did not find his missing friend. Hmm… Not in the medical section. What else would he be researching? Perhaps he wasn't doing any research at all. He walked over to the information counter.

"I'm sorry, but would it be possible to page someone? It's rather important."

"Sure, I think we could do that for you. What is the person's name?"

"Takahashi Ryousuke."

The receptionist's brow shot up with curiousity and moved to pick up the microphone.

"Will Takahashi Ryousuke please report to the information desk right away. Takahashi Ryousuke, please report to the information desk right away." She lowered the microphone and turned to the young man.

"Thank you. I really appreciate it."

The lady smiled and turned to continue with her work.

Etsuya turned to look about. Within a few minutes he caught sight of Ryousuke walking in his direction.

Their eyes met.

Ryousuke turned on his heals and started back in the direction he had come from.

Etsuya rushed after him, "We need to talk." He stated as he followed on his friend's heals. He looked about. Law? They were headed into the law section?

Ryousuke sat down at an empty table in a quiet corner. He pulled the large book resting there towards him.

Etsuya pulled a chair out and sat down, "What are you researching?"

"What did you need to speak to me about?" Ryousuke asked casually as he opened the book.

Etsuya glanced at the book, "Last Will and Testament law?" he turned to his friend.

He nodded simply, "You're changing the subject Etsuya."

"So are you." They were silent a moment.

"So?"

"Is everything okay?"

"Aa."

"There are a lot of rumors going around campus."

"Aa."

"How's Mitsu-chan handling them?"

Ryousuke shrugged casually and flipped the page.

"Do you know where she is? We're looking for her just in case that guy comes after her after hearing those rumors about the two of you breaking up." Etsuya saw a muscle in Ryousuke's face twitch ever so slightly. He glanced at the book again, "Why are you reading about wills and testaments?"

"Curiousity."

Etsuya studied him a moment, "Did someone pass away?" He asked cautiously. His friend continued to read, "Mitsu's parents." He nodded, "They had a Will drafted?" His friend remained silent. He nodded. Ryousuke always had to know everything about anything.

"Anyway, any idea where she could be?"

"Check her car. Lot 7C." Ryousuke answered as he continued to read the book.

"Her car? She drove?" He continued when his friend didn't answer, "What kind of car?"

"White SW20."

When Etsuya remained silent and continued to watch him in confusion, Ryousuke pulled his laptop out of his bag and opened his Internet browser. He pulled up a picture of the Tokyo Phantom and turned the notebook so that Etsuya could see the screen.

Etsuya looked at the pictures in amazement. He glanced at Ryousuke, "Okay. Well I let you continue your research. See you in class."

Ryousuke nodded simply.

Etsuya studied him a moment longer than left him. So that was the kind of person Mitsu-chan was. And that was the kind the of girl his friend was attracted to. He was smiling thoughtfully as he pulled out his cell phone and called Genjo and Isamu to join him in the parking lot.

He walked among the rows of cars, his eyes quickly inspecting every white car that came into view. He caught sight of Ryousuke's. So they had both driven. They hadn't come together… His pace quickened when his eyes caught sigh of another white car. This one looked like the picture Ryousuke had showed him. He slowed when he got closer. There was someone inside. The driver side seat was reclined slightly. He looked about and saw Genjo and Isamu walking together. He waved to catch their attention and waited for them to join him.

"You found her. How did you know?" Genjo asked.

"Ryousuke."

"Is that her car?" Isamu asked, "We saw Ryousuke-kun's car back there…"

Etsuya nodded, "It seems they came separately today." He walked over to the car and tapped on the glass softly. He smiled apologetically when Mitsu burst into a sitting position out of breath.

Mitsu smiled lightly and turned the ignition once so that she could open the window, "Etsuya-san, you scared me."

"My apologies Mitsu-chan." He said bowing his head lightly, "We were looking for you." He motioned to the side.

Mitsu turned to see Isamu and Genjo waving at her. She smiled and gave them a short wave back before turning to Etsuya, "You were?"

He nodded, "With all the rumors going around that you and Ryousuke have broken up," He saw her eyes widened ever so slightly, "We wanted to make sure that guys didn't come back to bother you."

The soft smile came to her lips again, "Oh. Thank you Etsuya-san. But I'm okay."

Etsuya tilted his head curiously, "It would put us at ease if you joined us though."

He watched as Mitsu glanced back at Genjo and Isamu. Was she looking for Ryousuke?

"Come on Mitsu-chan! Join us! There's only three of us now, because both you and Ryousuke didn't come!" Isamu whined.

Etsuya watched as a genuine smile filled her face at Isamu's whine, "Come we'll eat outside."

Mitsu hesitated then nodded and moved to close the window.

Etsuya stepped back as she pushed open the door and stepped out of the car. She shut the door and armed the vehicle before turning to the guys.

Etsuya nodded and led her towards the others and the three of them started towards the back of the cafeteria and their usual tree.

"Mitsu-chan."

The young lady turned to Etsuya.

"Did something happen between you and Ryousuke-kun?" He watched as she turned away all signs of emotion washed from her face. She didn't say a word.

"It's not the rumors is it?" Isamu asked frowning.

"No. It had something to do before today, because they didn't drive here together." Etsuya stated simply.

"Just because we came separately doesn't mean anything." Mitsu said suddenly.

The three friends exchanged looks.

"We're just concerned about the two of you" Genjo informed her.

Mitsu glanced at him, "Oh." Was all she could think of to say.

The four friends sat down under their usual tree. The subject of Mitsu and Ryousuke did not come up again until Mitsu had left for her next class.

"Something happened between them. They're avoiding each other." Etsuya said sternly as they watched the young lady walk away.

Genjo and Isamu both shook their heads sadly.

* * *

Keisuke pulled up at the school and placed the car in neutral before pulling up the e-brake. He hated picking her up. Every time those girls would try coming over to talk to him. They were so annoying. He glanced at the clock. 

"Ring already." He grumbled. He hadn't gotten much sleep last night seeing as he had been waiting for his Aniki to return.

Finally, the damn bell.

He slouched in his seat and waited.

There she was. His cousin walked around the front o front of the car and to the passenger side, "Why are you slouching. It's not as if people can miss this bright yellow boat of yours anyway."

"You should learn to be more appreciative when someone comes all this way to pick you up."

"Why? You would be forced to anyway." Tsugumi replied smiling as she fumbled with the racing harness.

Keisuke smirked and watched her without offering to help.

"You're a great cousin. Did I forget to mention that?" The teenager said sarcastically as she finally managed to strap herself in.

"I know." Keisuke said lowering the e-brake and putting the car in gear.

Tsugumi glanced at her cousin curiously. Although he had tried to sound cocky, she heard the fatigue in his voice, "Everything okay?"

Keisuke shook his head but didn't elaborate.

She rolled her eyes. Guys… They always needed urging.

"What's wrong?"

Keisuke frowned, "You're not going to believe this…"

"What?"

Keisuke hesitated, "Aniki's bethrothed."

"WHAT?" She was staring at Keisuke in disbelief.

Keisuke nodded, "To Mitsu-chan…"

Tsugumi crossed her arms about her chest, "If this is your idea of a joke, it's not that funny Keisuke."

"No joke. Aniki didn't come back last night. He picked up his schoolbooks this morning and took off again. No one knows where he's been." His voice was low.

"Is… How are they?"

Keisuke shrugged, "Not happy about it, that's for sure."

"How did this happen?" She turned to her cousin in confusion.

"My parents and her parents apparently made an agreement. It was in the Fukotomi's will."

"God… That must have been a shock for them…"

"You can say that again." Keisuke added as he merged onto the highway.

"How's Mitsu?"

Keisuke shrugged, "Maybe you could talk to her?"

"Yeah, if she'll talk to me."

Keisuke turned into the driveway, "She's home already."

"And no sign of Ryousuke."

Keisuke nodded and parked the car and two of them headed inside.

"I'm going to go find her." Tsugumi said softly as she took off her shoes and headed upstairs. She quickly went to 'her' room. She dumped her bag and jacket on the bed and went straight to Mitsu's room. She knocked on the door and called the girl's name, but when she got no answer she pushed it open. It was empty.

Tsugumi headed downstairs and glanced in the kitchen to kind Keisuke making himself a sandwich, "Make me one?"

"Aa."

Tsugumi frowned. Keisuke must have been really worrying… She turned and walked towards the entertainment room. She pushed open the door.

A young man turned and their eyes met.

She smiled lightly and glanced to his side where Mitsu was sitting with her knees to her chest hugging a pillow closely. Her eyes were glued to the television screen. The man beside her gave her a nudge.

"Hmm?" She glanced at her friend before turning to the door, "Oh, Tsugumi-chan. Hello." She smiled lightly. Unsurely. Certainly Keisuke must have told her about the bethrothal. Would she be upset?

Mitsu watched as the girl walked over to her with a determined look on her face. Great…

Tsugumi came to stand right in front of her.

Mitsu stiffened.

All of a sudden Tsugumi threw herself at her, wrapping her arms tightly around her body. She froze.

"Are you okay Mitsu-chan?" Tsugumi asked pulling away so that she could look at the other girl.

"H… Hai." She was still shocked at the teenager's actions. She watched as Tsugumi smiled and glanced to the side, "Oh sorry, Tsugumi-chan this is my best friend Arihyoshi Satoro. Satoro this is Keisuke's cousin Takahashi Tsugumi." She watched silently as they greeted each other politely. Tsugumi glanced at Mitsu then turned to the TV, "What are the two of you watching!" She asked frowning.

"I borrowed it from Keisuke. It's the video of Mount Yahiko."

"Yahiko, but why are…" Her eyes widened, "You're not racing are you Mitsu-chan?"

Mitsu glanced at Satoro briefly and nodded, "Amaya-chan challenged me."

"Oonishi Amaya?" Tsugumi asked cautiously.

The two people in front of her nodded.

"She was the driver of the red FC." Mitsu explained.

"Oh god… No wonder he was acting weird… After all that…" Her eyes met those of Mitsu's who immediately lowered.

"Keisuke told me. Have the two of you spoken to each other about it?"

Mitsu remained silent.

"They haven't seen each other since they found out." Satoro informed her softly.

Tsugumi sighed and took the older girl' hand in hers as she moved to sit on the couch to give her another hug, "Everything will be okay…"

* * *

Ryousuke pulled up in front of the white garage. He climbed out of the car and grabbed his school bag before walking over to the door. It opened before he even got into knocking distance. 

"I knew it was you." Ihara Hyobe said smiling lightly. He was worried, "Come in." He held the door open and watched as his long time friend passed through, "You went to class?"

Ryousuke nodded.

Hyobe nodded. Of course he did. He motioned for Ryousuke to have a seat on the couch, "How are you doing?"

His friend glanced up at him.

"That good huh?" He sighed, "Is there anything I can do?"

Ryousuke shook his head, "I need to study for an exam."

"Well feel free to study here." He offered, "You know where everything is."

"Arigato." Ryousuke bowed his head politely.

Hyobe frowned and moved to place a hand on his shoulder, "Anytime, anywhere. No matter what."

The two young man each other a long minute.

Hyobe smiled, "Start studying. I need to make a call. I'll be right back."

Ryousuke nodded and watched as his friend took off before digging into his bag for his books. He pulled the large law book first and stared at it a moment before placing it on the coffee table.

Hyobe glanced back at him as he picked up the cordless phone and moved out of hearing distance, "Keisuke-kun. It's Hyobe. Has Mitsu-chan arrived home yet? Good. Think you could bring her here? Yeah… I think these two need to talk. Okay. See you. Ja ne." he hung up the phone and moved to a side counter to fill his electric kettle with water. His eyes rested on his best friend.

"What's on your mind Hyobe."

The man remained leaning on against the counter as he smirked. He hadn't lost touch with his senses that was for sure, "You, of course."

There was a pause of silence.

Ryousuke glanced back at him for a split second, "How's the engine?" He asked turning back to his books.

"It's getting there. Maybe I should start working on something a little tuned down for the road? What do you think?"

"Most people want to get faster not slower." Ryousuke answered casually.

Hyobe laughed, "Just trying to cover the whole market." He turned when the kettle turned off with a soft click. He began to prepare some tea and carried the cup over to the couch, "Here."

Ryousuke looked up and accepted the cup of tea, "Thank you."

Hyobe sat across from him, "Where did you go last night?"

His friend remained silent.

"We could talk about your bethroval." Hyobe said casually.

"I drove around." Ryousuke replied simply before sipping his tea.

"Ryousuke…" Hyobe sighed he was about to press for more answers when he stopped himself. It wouldn't do anyone any good to try forcing answers out of him. No he would have to be very subtle about it. And trying to be subtle and not getting discovered by Ryousuke was an art and a challenge.

He glanced down at the coffee table and his eyes rested on the law book. He lowered his cup of tea to the table and picked up the book, "Looking for loop holes?"

"Aa."

"Found any?"

"No."

Hyobe pulled open the book and started filing through it, "Your FC could use a washing."

"Aa."

"What did you do? Take a finely tuned machine off roading?" He smiled when his comment gained him a trademark Takahashi Ryousuke cold stare. He turned to look at the law book again, "At least I didn't see any damage on the car."

Ryousuke wanted to roll his eyes. Of course there was no damage. He was better than that and Hyobe knew that. He was purposely trying to bait him.

Suddenly, his head snapped up from his book and he turned to glare at his friend.

Hyobe met his gaze steadily, "I called him over." He replied as the sound of the rotary engine cut out. He got to his feet and went to open the door.

Ryousuke watched his friend exit the garage. He shouldn't have felt annoyed. It was only Keisuke after all, it wasn't a big deal if he came over. Besides, ii only mattered that Hyobe didn't mind. He shut his eyes briefly. He really wasn't ready to face his family yet…

He opened his eyes as he heard footsteps approaching, "Come on in." Hyobe said.

Ryousuke's eyes opened and he continued to read the book he was holding.

"Aniki."

"Keisuke." He didn't look up from his book as his brother came to his side and sat down.

"Aniki. I'm sorry…"

Ryousuke looked up at his brother's apology. He saw Keisuke's eyes glance quickly towards the door before lowering to the floor. He felt his insides tighten. As casually as possible, he turned around to where Hyobe still stood close to the door. He stiffened. Beside him Fukotomi Mitsu stood uncomfortably.

Their eyes met briefly before she lowered her gaze to the ground and stepped back.

"Oh no you don't." Hyobe exclaimed as he placed a hand on her back to keep her from moving away, "Come, let's sit down." He nudged her forward and led her to the couch.

Mitsu sat down reluctantly.

Keisuke and Hyobe exchanged looks.

The older of the two turned to his best friend who had turned to read again, "Ryousuke," He turned to the young lady, "Mitsu-chan, you both really need to talk to each other about this."

"Don't concern yourselves." Ryousuke's voice was void of emotion.

"But we are. So, the two of you are going to stay here until you talk to each other." He turned to Keisuke and nodded for him to follow him to his workbench.

Ryousuke watched them leave and his eyes moved onto Mitsu as she got to her feet and walked away.

Hyobe and Keisuke both turned to her.

"And where do you think you're going?" Hyobe asked crossing his arms.

"Do you have a washroom?"

Hyobe looked startled a moment before nodding and giving her directions. He watched as she disappeared.

"Keisuke."

The young man turned to look at his older brother. Ryousuke slowly turned to face him, "Take Mitsu-chan home." He ordered sternly.

"But Aniki…"

"No." Ryousuke cut him off, "It is not open for discussion. You will take her home right away."

Keisuke looked at Hyobe nervously.

He sighed and shook his head.

Mitsu re-entered the room cautiously. She could feel the tension as Hyobe and Keisuke turned to her.

"Keisuke, why don't you take Mitsu-chan outside for a few minutes."

"Hai." Keisuke motioned for Mitsu-chan to follow him.

"This is ridiculous." She mumbled as she followed him out again.

Hyobe waited until the door closed before he walked over to his friend and sat down.

"Ryousuke." He started but stopped when his friend turned to him with his hard stare.

"She has to study."

That wasn't the argument Hyobe was expecting, but it made things easier, "Then the sooner the two of you speak, the sooner Keisuke can take her home so she can study. It's in your hands Ryousuke." He got up from the seat and started towards the door.

"Hyobe."

The man stopped and turned to look at him.

Ryousuke slowly turned to meet his gaze, "It will not go as you wish, no matter how hard you try." He turned again and continued to read.

Hyobe stared at him confused then it dawned on him, "Then you will only have yourself to blame for your pain."

"Open your eyes Hyobe. You are dreaming."

Hyobe sighed, "You're the one who should open your eyes Ryousuke, and search your heart." He continued towards the door, "Come in you guys." He called. He watched as Mitsu-chan stood her ground. He stepped outside and walked towards them and stopped in front of a defiant Mitsu. He placed a hand on her shoulder, "Go inside."

"No."

Hyobe's brow arched with interest and he glanced at Keisuke who grimaced, "He's waiting for you. Hurry up then Keisuke can take you home."

Mitsu turned to Keisuke and watched him nod. She glanced at Hyobe.

He placed a hand on her back and led her to the door, "It's okay." He soothed as they reached the door.

Mitsu shook her head, "No. It's not okay." She whispered as Hyobe made sure she was inside and reached for the door handle.

"It will be. You'll both see." He said seriously as he pulled the door shut, closing Ryousuke and Mitsu inside together.

She stood stock-still. What now?

"Mitsu-chan."

Her eyes darted onto him. He turned to look at her.

"Please join me." He said casually. He watched blankly as she hesitated then eventually took slow steps towards him and sat down on the opposite couch.

Ryousuke closed his book, "I apologize about this morning. When I arrived you had already left." He wasn't going to discuss their bethroval. No. He'd keep in casual and light.

"I didn't mind driving." She hadn't known if he was even going to come back home let alone go to school.

Ryousuke nodded. No of course she wouldn't, "You're tired." He said casually as he noticed the dark circles that had formed under her eyes.

Mitsu nodded, "How long do you think they'll keep us here?"

"Not long."

She frowned. He seemed really confident about his answer, and she wanted to know why but chose not to ask. She slouched back onto the sofa and crossed her arms. He was watching her. She could feel it. She glanced at him through lowered lashes and saw him turn away. She frowned.

Ryousuke stared down at his book, trying desperately to regain control of his racing heart. That look burned in his memory. What was happening to him? He felt sick when he thought about his body's uncontrollable reactions to the girl.

"Are you okay Ryousuke-san?"

He glanced at her and saw the worry in her eyes. He nodded simply and looked at his book again.

Mitsu also looked away. Her eyes moved over the items on the coffee table and rested on the law book. She reached for it, "Did you check this out?"

Ryousuke nodded simply and looked at her when she opened it and leafed through the pages quickly before placing it back on the table.

"You had Keisuke block me last night." She accused meeting his gaze.

He nodded simply.

"Why?"

Ryousuke remained silent.

"You and Hyobe-san are the same." When Ryousuke-san continued to look at her with his stoic gaze she continued, "You had me blocked and he's got us pinched in here."

A faint smile tugged at Ryousuke's lips. Using racing analogy in every day life. Interesting. The smile faded. What was he doing? He wasn't supposed to feel this way towards her. He placed his book on the coffee table, "Let's go. Keisuke will take you back home." He said getting to his feet and meeting her gaze one last before walking towards the door.

Mitsu followed him, "Ryousuke-san?" She called softly.

"Hmm?" He stopped and turned to her as they reached the door.

"I'm sorry."

Ryousuke met her gaze, "It's not your fault Mitsu-chan." He raised a hand and pushed back her hair. He jerked back almost instantly, "You should go." He said turning about and pulling the door open, "Keisuke. Take her home." He ordered sternly as he held the door open.

Mitsu walked pass him, "Thank you Ryousuke-san."

"Aa." He watched her join his brother. The two of them walked over to the FD and climbed in. Keisuke waved lightly and they drove off.

Hyobe turned to his friend and joined him, "That wasn't so hard was it." He said smiling and entered the garage.

Ryousuke frowned. Mitsu looking at him through those lowered lashes and her soft hair burned in his mind. Yeah… Not hard at all…

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Hey everyone... I had some time on my hands..

Nothing too important here but hopefully Ryousuke doesn't seem to OC.

Cheers,

**Celica-less Chick.**

sigh... Had a car accident :( My poor Celica was a total loss... Insurance company saidit would be too expensive to fix... But it seriously did not look that bad but I guess the parts were expensive... Now the hard thing is finding a new car... Go with the same model, upgrade to the newer model or try something different liket the Acura RSX... I want my car back...


	25. Chapter 25: The Aftermath

**Chapter 25 – The Aftermath**

Ryousuke looked blankly up at the house. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the pack of cigarettes. Pulling one out he lit it and leaned against the FC.

"Ryousuke."

The young man glanced at the figure walking towards him but made no move to acknowledge her. He moved the cigarette to his lips again.

"I'm glad you're home." Takahashi Emi said softly as she stood beside him, "I was worried. Your father was worried." She sighed, "He doesn't show it, but he is."

Ryousuke finished his cigarette and moved away from the FC. He turned towards the house, "I have to go." He said simply and walked away.

Emi watched her son go sadly. She turned to look up at the sky and sighed deeply before going to the house herself. Once inside, Ryousuke had already disappeared out of sight.

* * *

Ryousuke pushed open his bedroom door and stepped inside and closed the door. He placed his school bag by the desk and went to change. He had just changed into a pair of Khakhi pants when someone knocked at his door and pushed it open.

"Ryousuke." The young girl's voice called as she walked in without closing the door behind her.

She was walking towards him with a determined and worried look on her face. Ryousuke put on a smile for her.

Tsugumi frowned and wrapped her arms around him as she reached him, "Are you okay Ryousuke?"

"Of course Tsugumi." He returned her hug and put her at arms length, "Have you started your homework?"

Tsugumi nodded, "Aa. How you and Mitsu-chan can be thinking about homework right now is beyond me…" The two of them were similar in so many ways, yet also so different.

"School is very important Tsugumi." Ryousuke met her gaze briefly before turning back to his closet to look for a shirt.

"Wear the one Mitsu gave you."

Ryousuke grabbed the next available shirt and proceeded to change.

"Are you ever going to wear it?" Tsugumi asked going over to his bed and sitting down.

"Go finish your homework Tsugumi." He closed the closet and walked over to his desk to pick up his bag where he removed all the books, leaving only his laptop inside. He pocketed his car keys and glanced back at his cousin, "Homework Tsugumi."

The girl sighed and got to her feet, "I know." When she reached him she looked into his face, "Are you going to drive again?"

"Not me. The Redsuns are."

Tsugumi made a face, "Right. More driving." She said and stepped out of his room, "Is Keisuke going? Maybe Mitsu-chan wants to go too." She said and before Ryousuke could say anything she had darted into Mitsu-chan's room.

Ryousuke resisted the urge to sigh. He has been doing a lot of that lately he thought dryly.

He started down the hall when Tsugumi burst out of Mitsu-chan's room again and ran pass him towards Keisuke's room. He shook his head and made his way downstairs.

"Ryousuke! Wait!"

The young man turned to see his cousin rush down the room, "Keisuke's coming." She informed him.

He nodded and moved to open the door, "I'll wait for him outside." He turned to Tsugumi who was still watching him, "Homework."

"I know. I will." Tsugumi replied nodding. She still regarded him with that inquisitive stare.

Ryousuke turned and stepped out of the house. Shutting the door behind him he made his way to his car and placed his bag inside, then he leaned against it and pulled out a cigarette.

He quietly smoked, his mind running astray with various thoughts. School, the Redsuns, Project D, Keisuke, Tsugumi, His parents, Rotary Excellence, Fukotomi Mitsu… Mitsu…

"Sorry to keep you waiting Aniki. I didn't even know you were back." Keisuke said studying his brother as he approached.

Ryousuke simply nodded to acknowledge him. His eyes moved onto Mitsu-chan who appeared behind him with Satoro at her side.

Keisuke noticed and glanced back at the young lady. Neither she nor his brother said a word or made a move, "They're going to Yahiko." He informed his brother.

"Let's go." Ryousuke said putting out his cigarette and climbing into his car.

Keisuke turned to Mitsu and Satoro, "See you guys tonight."

Mitsu and Satoro both nodded and went over to the white SW20. The young man turned to Keisuke. Their eyes met and both shook their heads sadly before getting into the cars.

Ryousuke settled in the seat and fastened his safety harness before starting the FC. He glanced to the side where Mitsu and Satoro were securing themselves in the SW20. So she was going to Yahiko to practice. She didn't need to. From what he had seen during her only run at Akagi, when she easily past all of the Redsuns, she had the ability to adapt quickly to new courses. He pushed the thought out of his head and placed the FC in gear. Where and how she prepared for her battles was none of his concern. He glanced at his brother and motioned for him to go first. He watched the FD pull out and followed suit without another glance at the SW20 and it's passengers.

* * *

Mitsu stepped out of the car and turned to the group of people standing on the other side of the parking lot.

Satoro joined her, "So?"

"They're coming over."

The two friends watched as Amaya-chan and Roku-san approached them.

"Mitsu-chan! How nice to see you again!" the young lady exclaimed smiling as she quickly looked over the girl. She looked tired today.

The young lady nodded simply, "What time will you be finished? We'll wait until your team is done."

Amaya shook her head, "We're done. Feel free to practice as long as you want." She waved her hand behind her at the group of people, "Most of them want to see you drive."

Satoro saw Roku-san smile beside his girl friend. He turned to Mitsu, "Well then, do you want to start? So we can have an early finish?"

His best friend nodded and nodded at the racers before them before turning away and climbing back into her car.

"Thanks." Satoro said politely before jogging over to the passenger side door and slipping into the car.

"Let's go." Masuko Roku said placing a hand on his girl friend's back and leading her back to her team.

"There's something different about her today." Amaya exclaimed as they walked back towards her team.

"Mm… I sensed that too. She's a monster behind the wheel, watch her carefully."

"Right." She looped her arm in the man by her side and turned to look at the white SW20 as it came alive and turned about it the parking lot. It stopped suddenly at the apex to the course it was about to run.

"I wonder what they are talking about." Amaya said softly.

"Maybe Satoro-san is giving her some tips."

"So he's the brains behind the Tokyo Phantom…" She watched a second longer before she felt Roku-san moving about beside her. She turned to him in curiousity, "What are you looking for?"

"Takahashi Ryousuke."

"Ryousuke-kun?" She also looked about, "Why?"

"When you mentioned the brains behind her racing, I just thought of him. I wonder why he's not here." He frowned, "If he's never seen her race, I would have thought he would have been here to gather some data on her driving ability."

Amaya shrugged, "Maybe Project D has other plans. None of them are here today."

"Could be." He pulled the young lady into his embrace and gently kissed her forehead, "There she goes." He said as the white SW20 pulled out of the parking lot.

* * *

Takahashi Keisuke stood staring at Ryousuke as Kenta stood to his left chatting off his ear. But he heard none of what the young driver was saying, his attention was so focused on the expressionless face of his older brother.

"Keisuke-san? Keisuke-san?"

The young Takahashi sighed and turned to him, "What is it?"

"Don't you think so?"

Keisuke stared at him a moment. What was Kenta talking about?

"Ryousuke-san, don't you think he's even more serious today?"

"Kenta!" As though on cue those dark eyes turned onto him, "You're wasting time."

"Hai!" he bowed quickly and ran off towards his car.

Keisuke smirked and walked towards his brother, "He thinks you're serious today."

"The Redsuns have a reputation to maintain and as long as I am leading them, I'll make sure they maintain it." Ryousuke answered without turning to his brother.

Keisuke nodded in silence. They watched the Redsuns descending Akagi.

"Aniki?"

"Hmm?"

Keisuke turned to his brother, "Are you and Mitsu okay?"

Ryousuke glanced at his brother, "You don't have to worry Keisuke. Just concentrate on your driving." He turned to look at the Redsuns again.

"You shouldn't blame her you know. It's not her fault." The younger Takahashi tried.

"I don't blame her Keisuke." He glanced at his brother, "Don't worry about it." He turned to observe the Redsuns again.

The two brothers stood in silence several minutes longer before Keisuke turned to his brother again.

"No."

Keisuke's eye narrowed, "You don't even know what I'm going to ask."

Ryousuke glanced at him. Those dark eyes fixed on his brother for a brief moment, "Then ask your question." He turned to look at the Redsuns again.

"Is school really that important if I'm going to go pro?"

"That wasn't your question Keisuke."

The younger brother chuckle briefly then shoved his hands in his pockets as he turned to look at the Redsuns as well.

"Look at Kenta. What is he doing in that corner?" Ryousuke asked knowing his brother's decision not to ask his original question meant that Keisuke knew that his answer would have been 'no'.

Keisuke frowned, "Uh….."

* * *

"I'm done Satoro." Mitsu said as she continued to drive as they finished what was to be the finish line for Saturday's battle.

"Ok. You seem comfortable with the course." When she didn't make a comment he glanced over at her. His best friend was staring blankly at the road in front of her, driving by instinct.

They drove in silence a few minutes before Satoro turned to his best friend, "I have to leave tomorrow."

Mitsu nodded simply then glanced at her friend, "Thanks for staying this long Satoro. It means a lot to me."

"You don't have to thank me! I'll be back for your race though! And if you need me before then I'll be come right back, ok?"

"I'll be ok Satoro. Don't worry. Nothing is going to happen." She adjusted her grip on the steering wheel, "Ryousuke-san and I have absolutely no intention of getting m-" she hesitated, "We're not doing it. Absolutely not." She finished.

Satoro glanced at her, "Is that a definite answer?"

Mitsu turned to him with a frown, "Get your mind out of the gutter Satoro."

"I didn't say anything."

"No. But I know what you're implying."

Satoro shrugged and turned to look out the window, "You like him."

"Drop it Satoro."

The young man turned to his friend. Her eyes were glued to the road and her body was erect and tense. She was definitely very serious. He turned to look out the window again. Ok that was enough for today, "Are you hungry?"

Mitsu shook her head.

"I am. Do you mind if we go for a bite or a drink?"

Mitsu turned to him, "No more talk about Ryousuke-san."

"Ok." Satoro agreed. No more tonight.

"Ok…"

Satoro watched as the tension seemed to drain right out of his friend's body.

* * *

Keisuke stepped out of his car and closed the door. He watched as his brother pulled up beside him and did the same.

"They're not back yet." Keisuke mentioned. He watched as his brother alarmed his car and made his way towards the house. He fell into step beside him, "Think they're ok?"

"They're fine." Ryousuke stated flatly as he pulled out his house keys to unlock the door.

The brothers entered the house and after Ryousuke had removed his shoes and stepped into his slippers he made a bee-line up the stairs.

Keisuke watched silently as his brother disappeared and he heard the soft click of his bedroom door closing shut. He sighed and went to the kitchen to get something to drink.

* * *

The next morning, Mitsu pulled open her bedroom door and stepped out, "Ryousuke-san." She said as she bumped into him in the hallway.

"Mitsu-chan." He said with a polite nod and motioned for her to go first.

She nodded back and turned to head down the stairs.

Both entered the Kitchen to see Satoro and Keisuke sitting at the table awaiting them.

"You're awake Keisuke?"

The young Takahashi gave her a smile and nodded, "Wanted to see Satoro off." He glanced at his brother and as usual saw no expression there.

"We made you guys coffee and tea." Satoro said motioning for the cups they had already placed on the table.

Mitsu smiled and moved to take the cup of tea.

Ryousuke did the same. The fact that the cups were placed so close together in front of chairs so close together had not escaped him. He took the hot mug of caffeine to the counter where he leaned and drank in silence. He stared down into his coffee mug, but from the corner of his field of vision he saw Mitsu-chan move to the opposite end of the kitchen to the window where she quietly stood to drink her tea. Obviously she had noticed as well. He finished his coffee and moved to put his mug away. Turning around he caught Mitsu's eye and she lowered them. Ok. He turned to his brother and their guest, "I wish you a safe drive home Satoro-san." He said with a nod.

"Thank you for your hospitality Ryousuke-san." Satoro exclaimed as he got up to bow to the eldest Takahashi brother.

Ryousuke nodded once and glanced at his brother a second before he turned and walked out of the kitchen.

Keisuke turned to Mitsu, "You guys are not going together?"

"No." She moved to put her cup away and went to Satoro, "I have to go. Come back soon, ok?"

"I'll be back for your race sweetheart." Satoro said grabbing her wrist and dragging her close to him.

Mitsu hugged him and pulled away, "I really have to go. Call me when you get home."

Satoro nodded and followed her to the door where she slipped on her shoes and pulled open the door. He handed her school bag and with a last goodbye she turned to leave. He shut the door gently behind her and locked it before going back into the kitchen to sit with Keisuke.

"Think they'll make it?"

Satoro sighed, "Who knows. She definitely gets uptight when I mention your brother's name" He turned to younger Takahashi, "What about your brother?"

"Doesn't want to talk about it." Keisuke answered. He finished off his coffee, "So one last game before you head out?"

"You're on." Satoro answered with a smile.

* * *

Author's Notes:

Sorry just a short chapter and a long time coming. Been in a slump I must say.

In any case, thanks for the encouragement everyone! Hope you all had a Merry Christmas and A Happy New Years!

Forever a CelicaChick at heart


	26. Chapter 26: Round Two

**Chapter 26 – Round Two**

Uetake Etsuya adjusted the backpack over his shoulder as he watched the dark haired young man step out of the white FC. The man walked in his direction and he smiled warmly, "Morning."

Ryousuke nodded simply.

"Where's Mitsu-chan?"

His friend shrugged and walked pass him towards the building behind him.

Etsuya frowned and rushed after his friend. He walked beside him in silence all the way to their first class and only after taking their seats and opening their notebooks did he address his friend again, "There's already talk that you and Mitsu have had an argument and are on the verge of or are already broken up."

Silence.

"Just thought you should know. Just in case Jiro-san attempts something again."

Ryousuke nodded.

Finally a reaction... Etsuya turned to the face the front of the class as the professor entered the room, "What are you going to do about Isamu?"

Ryousuke glanced at him.

"He's waiting for you." He didn't need to say more. Ryousuke would know what he meant.

"There is no need for him to wait. He may do as he pleases."

Etsuya turned to him, "Careful you don't regret those words Ryousuke. You might lose something you want." He turned back to face the front of the class as the professor began his lecture.

Ryousuke ignored his friend and began to take notes, but somewhere in the deepest corner of his heart he felt uneasy. Class went by fast especially when you weren't really paying attention. He piled his books into his book bag and slung it over his shoulder.

Etsuya met his gaze and nodded and the two of them proceeded to leave the class room, "Well, see you at lunch?"

Ryousuke shook his head, "Not today." He said and turned to walk down the hall towards his next class.

Etsuya shook his head with a sigh and turned to head in the other direction. What a stubborn man…

* * *

That afternoon, Mitsu returned home to be met by Tsugumi who had made tea, "Where's Ryousuke?" 

Mitsu shrugged, "I'm not sure." She said accepting the cup the teenager was holding out towards her, "Thank you." She pulled out a chair at the kitchen table and sat down.

Keisuke appeared in the kitchen, "Hey Mitsu, are you going to go to Yahiko tonight?"

"Probably not."

A smile spread across the young Takahashi's face, "So do you want to come with me to Akagi for the Redsuns practice?" He put up a hand when he saw her shake her head and was about to answer, "Don't worry my Aniki won't be there. Please. It's going to be so boring by myself." He pouted for effect.

Mitsu sighed, "Fine, ok."

"Why isn't Ryousuke going to practice? I thought he didn't like to miss them?" Tsugumi questioned suddenly.

Keisuke shrugged, "He said he had something to do."

"And you didn't ask him what?"

"I did, geez." He rolled his eyes, "But he just told me to be there and hung up."

Tsugumi frowned, "What do you think he could be doing?"

Keisuke shrugged.

"Geez I think you would care a bit more Keisuke."

"What? He's old enough to do things on his own sheesh!" Keisuke said brushing her off. He moved to the fridge and went to take out a bottle of water before walking out of the kitchen. He took the steps two at a time and went to his room. Closing the door he went to lie on his bed and stared up at the ceiling. The unopened bottle of water in his hand, completely forgotten.

Aniki…

He didn't know how long he had been lying there or when exactly he had fallen asleep but the next thing he knew there was a knock at his door and then Mitsu's voice called out to him.

"Keisuke-kun?"

He groaned, "Hai."

The door creaked open tentatively and Mitsu's head peeked inside, "We should get going." She said and stepped inside, "Tired?" she asked smiling lightly.

"I'm ok." He answered sitting up.

"Why don't I drive us?" She said noticing the unopened bottle of water, "I could use some practice after the Redsuns are done if you don't mind riding with me." She gave Keisuke a wink when his eyes met hers.

"Yeah sure." He said smiling, "You still owe me a race by the way!" He said hoping out of bed. He grabbed his jacket off the back of the chair by his ridiculously cluttered desk and joined the young lady standing in his doorway. Mitsu smiled and stepped out as Keisuke followed her down the stairs and to the main doors. Tsugumi came rushing down the stairs.

"Can I come?" She asked excitedly.

"What do you think?"

"Yes, because you love me ever so much!" Tsugumi said hopefully.

"Good try. But Aniki warned me not to take you out." He said turning away to put on his shoes.

"Mitsu-chan?"

The young lady offered her a sympathetic smile, "I'll take you with me one day ok?"

Tsugumi sighed, "Promise?"

"I promise." She slipped on her shoes and gave the teenager a small wave, "Don't sleep too late."

"Yeah, I know…" She watched as the door closed behind the two of them. With a final sigh she trudged up to her room to finish her homework.

"Keisuke-san!" Kenta exclaimed smiling widely, "Hey! Where's Ryousuke-san?" He looked about curiously and his eyes landed on Mitsu.

"Hello Kenta-san." She said bowing slightly.

"Good evening Mitsu-chan." He returned the bow and turned to Keisuke once again.

"Aniki can't make it today. So I'm running practice."

"He can't make it?" Someone said curiously.

Keisuke nodded, "He said he will join you tomorrow night. Now, lets get started."

The young men nodded and stepped closer to Takahashi Keisuke to hear his orders.

Mitsu stepped back so the others could get closer.

They all respected the young Takahashi almost as much as his brother. She caught Kenta's eyes straying onto her before darting back onto Keisuke to listen to his instructions. Strange. What was that look? Did he know something? Had Keisuke told him something about… She could feel herself tensing at the thought. She jumped slightly as her cell phone rang.

A few eyes turned to her briefly before focusing back on Keisuke.

Mitsu took out her cell phone from her pocket as she moved away from the gathered group of drivers, "Hello?"

"_Hi Cutey."_

"Satoro! How was the trip home?" She smiled genuinely.

"_Ok. How are you doing?"_

"I'm actually at Akagi right now with Keisuke. He's running the practice."

"_Oh? Where's his brother? Had to study?"_

"Don't know. So what are you up to?" she asked changing the subject.

"_Not much. Was just going to watch some TV but wanted to check on you."_

"I'm fine Satoro."

"_The guys wanted me to say hi by the way."_

Mitsu laughed, "Tell them Hi for me. How is everyone?"

"_They miss you of course. And every night someone has to mention the Tokyo phantom."_

Mitsu continued to smile, "Maybe they could come visit this Saturday." She suggested.

"_I'll let them know you invited them."_

"Yeah tell them I could use some support in the galleries." She looked over towards the Redsuns when she heard a few engines come to life, "Hey Satoro I have to go. The Redsuns' practice is about to start. I'm going to have a few runs with them."

"_Oh okay. You have fun. Call me when you have time."_

"Ok. Thanks for calling Satoro."

"_Of course. Ok you go show them what you're made of now."_

Mitsu laughed, "Yes sir! Ok talk to you later, bye."

"_Bye"_

Mitsu ended the call and went back to Keisuke who was waiting for her, "Ready?"

"Let's go!"

They got into the SW20 and started after the Redsuns.

* * *

Mitsu frowned as she watched the white FC pull into the empty spot between the FD and her car. She pulled the curtains closed, holding only a corner of it open enough so she could see the driver get out of is car with his school bag and make his way around to the front of the house. She let the curtain fall back into place with a sigh and looked towards her night table where the red digits of her clock read 2:03 Am. She pulled open the curtains open slightly and pushed open the window to allow fresh air to come into the room. She listened as Takahashi Ryousuke's bedroom door opened. Moments later she could see light coming from the window next to her room. Within moments she could hear the patio doors open and Ryousuke came into view. Her body straightened as she watched him go to the rail and light a cigarette. She felt a little angry as she watched him. 

"Can't sleep Mitsu-chan?" His voice rang out in the silence.

Mitsu jumped back from the window. He knew she was watching him!

She stepped up to the window again. His was still looking out into the distance. She pulled the window open wider, "You're back late."

"Aa." He finished his cigarette and butted it put in the ashtray, "You should try and get some sleep Mitsu-chan." He said and without one glance in her direction he made his way back into his room. She heard the sliding doors shut. The way the light stopped coming from his room she could tell he had drawn the curtains closed. She sighed and pulled the window closed and drew the curtains closed completely before making her way to her bed and climbing under the covers. She laid down and stared up at the ceiling. Suddenly feeling very lonely. She shut her eyes tightly at the pain that overcame her and tears slipped from her eyes.

She turned over on her side and curled herself into a ball.

Then there was a soft knocking on her door.

Her eyes shot open. She wiped the tears from her eyes and sat up, "Come in." she called. She squinted in the dark as the door opened and the figure of Takahashi Ryousuke entered from the dark hallway.

He closed the door and walked towards her. She stiffened.

"Here." He held out a mug to her.  
Mitsu reached out and took it. It was warm. She smelled it. Tea.

"It's very light."

"Thank you."

"Your welcome. Drink it before it gets cold."

Mitsu nodded and sipped the drink.

"Where were you?"

She felt a change in him.

"Out." In the darkness he straightened even more, "Have a good night Mitsu-chan." He said gently and turned and walked out of her room. She turned to look down at the cup of tea in her hands. Strange how he had come at this precise moment. Like he knew she… She shook her head and finished the rest of her tea before placing the cup on the night table and laying back down. She sighed sleepily. The warm liquid in her stomach felt good. She closed her eyes and soon enough she was fast asleep.

* * *

Takahashi Emi set a cup of tea in front of her husband. It had been a long night at the hospital. She turned to Fukotomi Mitsu, "How is school dear?" 

"Good." She answered nodding.

The three of them looked up as Ryousuke appeared around the corner.

"Good Morning Ryousuke." Takahashi Fujimaro said meeting his son's gaze.

The young man bowed his head politely then turned about and left the room again.

Emi sighed. She turned to Mitsu and gave her a reassuring smile but the young lady only looked away then excused herself and left the kitchen.

Fujimaro watched her leave the kitchen, "They'll be fine." He told his wife before finishing his tea. He stood up to put away his cup, "I'm going to take a shower."

Emi nodded and followed him, "I'm going to check on Keisuke. I will see you in a moment."

Her husband nodded and watched as she continued down the hall to their younger son's room.

Emi knocked lightly on her son's door and opened it when the sleepy muffled voice of her son responded. She stepped inside and approached his bed.

Keisuke looked up through half closed eyes and groaned.

Emi smiled.

"It's too early, mom." He mumbled in his pillow and covered his head with his blanket.

She sat down by on his bed and he removed the blanket from his head and looked at her.

"What's wrong?"

Emi shook her head, "Nothing." She patted his shoulder then stood up, "Sleep well dear." She said and got up and left the room.

Keisuke watched her leave, confused. But he soon pushed it out of his mind and went back to sleep.

* * *

Later that evening, Mitsu was sitting at her desk with Tsugumi sitting next to her studying. She glanced at the bottom corner of her laptop screen. 8:09 pm… She glanced at Tsugumi briefly and turned to look at her computer screen again… She closed the laptop, "I'm going to go out a little bit." 

Tsugumi looked up her, "Out?" She repeated surprised.

"Not for long. I'll be back soon." She said and quickly grabbed her keys and jacket before rushing out of the room.

Tsugumi opened her mouth to say something but Fukotomi Mitsu had already disappeared before she could get any words out.

* * *

Fukotomi Mitsu turned into the long driveway and turned of her headlights. She just needed to go in far enough to be able to see if his car was there. She reduced her speed to almost zero as she neared the house. No cars. She drove forward and parked her car not too far away from the small building. She lef out a sigh and turned off the engine before stepping out of the car and walking up to the small building. She took a deep breath and knocked on the door. She looked about anxiously. 

"Hey there Mitsu-chan."

Mitsu swung around to see Hyobe-san and smiled lightly, "Hi." She froze. What was she going to say to him.

Hyobe looked about, "Come in." He said stepping aside to give her access to his shop.

Mistu hesitated, "I just… well…"

The man smiled, "Come in. I'll make some tea." He said and turned to go inside leaving Mitsu staring after him.

The young lady stepped forward and entered the building. She shut the door carefully behind her. Inside Hyobe-san was already boiling water and pulling out two cups.

"Have a seat." He motioned to the couches.

"Thanks." Mitsu said and went to sit down. Her eyes immediately caught sight of the huge law book that Ryousuke had taken out. She averted her eyes away from the book and her eyes landed on another small black book.

"Oh, that's Ryousuke's. He forgot it." Hyobe said sitting across from her, "Here." He passed her a cup of tea.

"Thank you." She said softly and took a small sip.

"So how are you?" The young man asked lowering his cup and looking at her.

"I'm ok. You?" She met his gaze. "How's the engine?" She asked with a small smile as she rested the base of her mug of tea in the palm of her other hand.

"The engine is coming along nicely. I'm doing good. Better now that I've seen Ryousuke." He met her gaze wondering about the reason for her visit.

"That's good." She sipped her tea again and her eyes unconsciously landed on Ryousuke's black book.

"So what's up Mitsu-chan?" Hyobe asked casually.

Her eyes tore away from the book and turned onto him briefly before staring down into the cup of tea, "I was just wondering if you knew where Ryousuke-san was lately."

Hyobe sat silently watching her. He watched as she glanced at him slightly when he had yet to respond, "I might." He answered as he leaned back without removing his gaze from her, "Why?"

Mitsu fidgeted, "Well… It's a school night… He should be giving a good example for his younger cousin and his brother and be home at a decent time." She explained.

Hyobe's brows raised with surprise. That was her excuse?

Mitsu sighed, "Fine. He's been coming home really late and then I think he stays up all night studying. He's going to burn himself out."

Hyobe placed his tea on the table and leaned back to continue studying her.

"Ryousuke is used to doing that." He said after a moment.

Mitsu shook her head, "It's not good for him."

"He's going to be a doctor. Doctors have to be accustomed to sleepless nights and days."

"Hyobe-san, you can't be condoning this?" She half asked half exclaimed.

The young man sighed, "Mitsu-chan, Ryousuke doesn't always have the luxury of doing anything he pleases. Although it may seem like he can get everything he wishes, it's not always the case. Right now," He paused a moment to choose his words carefully, "Right now, I'm sure you know how he must feel with the unusual predicament you find yourselves in. He needs to do something he wants and I won't stop that." He sighed, "I'll support whatever he needs Mitsu-chan." He met and held her gaze to show her how serious he was.

"Even if it hurts him?" She asked softly.

"No, it won't hurt him as much as holding him back would hurt him." He leaned forward to take up his tea again. He finished it quickly and set the cup down.

"Where does he go?"

"I can't betray his confidence Mitsu-chan." He smiled suddenly, "Not even to you."

The young lady was taken aback by that statement, "What do you mean by that?"

Hyobe chuckled and looked down at his watch, "You don't have to worry Mitsu-chan. He's ok. I promise I'll let you know if there is something to be worried about."

Mitsu knew he was deliberately trying to avoid her questions but she did like the fact that he had promised to tell her if something was wrong with Ryousuke-san. She would accept that bit of cooperation for now. She sipped her tea.

"How's your car?"

"It's good. Back to normal I guess. We'll see this Saturday."

"What's this Saturday?"

"I have a race. Against Oonishi Amaya." She watched Hyobe's reaction carefully. The man's jaw clenched slightly and then relaxed.

"You met Amaya-chan?"

Mitsu nodded.

"And Ryousuke knows you are racing her?"

"Hai."

Hyobe crossed his arms about his chest. This was interesting, "What did you think of her?"

Mitsu was a little surprised by the question, "Well I didn't see much of her race. Just the start. From what Takumi-kun said she's pretty good."

Hyobe smiled amused, "You know that Amaya-chan used to date Ryousuke right?"

Mitsu nodded.

"Keisuke told you?"

"And Ryousuke-san."

"Really?" He smiled, "He must trust you Mitsu-chan. Not many people know about Amaya-chan." He picked up his cup, "More tea?"

The young lady shook her head, "No, thank you." She finished the remainder of her drink, "I should head back. Tsugumi-chan is probably waiting up for me." She got up and followed him to the small kitchen area. She handed him the empty cup, "Are you sure he's ok?" She asked again.

Hyobe met her gaze with a sympathetic one. He placed a hand on her shoulder, "He's ok Mitsu. I can't tell you where or what he's doing but no one is stopping you from finding out." He gave her a wink and removed his hand from her shoulder, "You have a safe drive home. Ryousuke will be back later. If you see him, remind him his date book is at my place."

Mitsu stared at him in surprise. Was he insinuating that she go investigate his best friend's whereabouts? She nodded simply and walked towards the door.

Hyobe followed her and only stepped in front of her to open the door, "Take care. Come visit me again, ok?"

Mitsu nodded, "Thanks Hyobe-san."

The man smiled, "It's nothing. Good night."

"Good night." Mitsu repeated and stepped outside.

Hyobe watched her get into her SW20 and drive off before he shut the door and smiled, "You're a lucky man Ryousuke. Now only if you'd realize it." He shut the door and returned back to his designs.

* * *

Mitsu opened her door and stepped out of her room in her cotton pajamas and her bare feet. She walked over to the room next to hers and knocked lightly on the door and waited. He couldn't have gotten far from his door. She had waited for him to come back and had made sure she could catch him before he started anything. Why was he taking so long to answer then? Maybe he hadn't heard her knock. She raised her hand to knock again when the door opened and Ryousuke stared out at her. 

"Mitsu-chan."

"Could I speak to you?"

Ryousuke nodded and pulled the door open to allow her to enter.

Vanilla and roses attacked his tired senses as she passed him and entered the room. He shut the door softly and turned to look at her. She was walking about his room.

He waited.

Finally she seemed to have had her fill and turned to look at him, "Where did you go?" She asked softly.

"I had something to do." He said simply and went to unpack his school bag.

"Oh, Hyobe said you left your date book at his house."

Ryousuke nodded.

It didn't seem to faze him that she had spoken to Hyobe. Had he told him about her visit tonight?

"Are you going to study now?"

He nodded.

"Well don't sleep too late." She said softly and moved towards the door, "Goodnight Ryousuke-san."

"Aa."

Mitsu glanced back at him but he continued to flip through his books as he waited for his laptop to load. She shook her head and left the room.

Ryousuke looked up from his books as the door shut behind her with a soft click. She has spoken to Hyobe? The image of her walking bare foot in her light cotton pajamas filled his mind. He shook his head violently to get rid of the thoughts. He had to concentrate on his studies for a few hours then get some much needed sleep.

* * *

Thursday 4:07 pm 

Mitsu stood patiently waiting. It was nice outside. She inhaled deeply and let her breath out in a sigh. Bringing her hand out of her jacket pocket she checked her watch. He should be out of class soon. She straightened as her eyes caught sight of him as he walked out of the Biomedical building with Etsuya. She watched them walk together in silence. Etsuya was definitely the quietest out of Ryousuke's school friends and probably the one who understood him the most. As they reached the parking lot, Etsuya turned to speak to his friend. The latter stopped to listen to him and smiled within moments. He nodded once and the two friends separated.

Mitsu started walking towards the parking lot to where she had parked her car. She climbed in and started the vehicle, all the while watching for the white FC. When she finally saw it pulling out of the parking lot, she started after it. And as expected he wasn't heading in the direction of home.

She allowed for several cars to separate them but maintained a careful watch on the distinctive FC. Suddenly she saw the FC make a right turn.

"Where are you going Ryousuke-san?" She asked herself as she lifted her foot from the accelerator. She didn't want to turn too soon or the distance between him and her wouldn't be great enough to maintain her anonymity. When she made the turn onto the same street, the FC was already several hundred meters ahead with one car between them. They were now exiting the residential area they were driving through and entering the commercial area. Is this where he was coming everyday? He confusion and curiousity rose when he continued towards the outskirts of the area and pulled into the underground parking lot for the Train station and the mall. It was getting difficult to keep track of him in the busy lot while still trying to stay close enough to him without drawing suspicion to herself. She had to find a spot before he did otherwise if he found one she might lose him while she's searching for a spot.

It must have been her lucky day, since within moments a car ahead of her was pulling out of one of the stalls. Mitsu signal and waited. She looked about. The white FC was still in her view. But barely. She pulled into the parking stall and quickly turned off the engine, grabbed her bag and rushed out. Locking her car she hurried towards where she had last seen the FC and found him just settling into a newly freed stall. She stood behind one of the cement posts and watched as he got out his car carrying his bag and locked the vehicle. She watched as he walked towards the escalators and took them up to the main floor. She rushed after him. If she didn't hurry she could lose him in the hustle and bustle of the station and the shoppers. She reached the main floor and looked about. Where was he? She stepped into the throng of people and felt dizzy as people buzzed about all around her. Then she saw him going through turnstiles to one of the platforms. He was taking a train? She rushed to go buy a ticket… Wait, she had no idea where he was going! She glanced at the platform sign and rushed to the ticket machines. She looked up at the board. For that specific line the most a ticket could cost was 420 yen. Mitsu quickly fed some coins into the machine and grabbed her ticket. She ran towards the entrance to the platform, fed her ticket into the machine passed through and ran up the stairs to the platform. She looked about out of breath. One train had just left and she couldn't see him! She walked among the waiting people, hoping that he had not been on that train…

Another train was pulling into the station. She doubled her walking pace. 'Please be here somewhere!' People started boarding the train. She looked up and down the platform. How could she make sure she didn't miss him among all these people!

There he was! She darted into the crowd and rushed into the same car she had just seen him enter. He was just taking a seat at the front of the car. She calmly sat down in the closest seat and tried to catch her breath. The train started running again and she sighed. She was feeling quite tired. Mitsu yawned then shook her head. She couldn't afford to fall asleep now or she could lose track of Ryousuke-san. She was determined to find out what he was up to. She pulled herself up from her seat slightly to make sure he was still there and hadn't left this particular car. She sat down again when she saw the top of his head resting against the seat, and turned to look out the window. She hugged her school bag to her body and sighed again. Why was she going through all this trouble anyway? Really, it wasn't any of her concern what she did with his life on his own free time. She sighed again. Her thoughts turned back to Takahashi Ryousuke and she resisted the urge to take another peak and make sure he was still where he was supposed to be. What was wrong with her? She didn't care. But deep down she knew she was lying to herself. Sometime between the time she had first met him and now she had started to care for him.

At every stop she would carefully check if he was stepping off the train, until finally a little over an hour after he did disembark. She waited until he had started down the platform before she also exited the train and went after him. Upon descending the stairs and going through the line ups to get through the turnstiles, she lost sigh of him after looking down to feed her ticket into the machine that would allow her to exit the station.

Mitsu spun around slowly looking into every face she could see but none belonged to him. She walked toward the taxi waiting area and scanned the passengers in line and the ones climbing in the cars. He couldn't possibly have gotten into one so fast could he? She looked about some more. So many faces all moving in front of her, past her, all around her. She shut her eyes briefly feeling a little dizzy by all the chaos. An exasperated sigh escaped her lips.

"Looking for me?" a stern voice demanded.  
Her eyes snapped open as her body jolted to attention. And there he was. Standing right in front of her those hard blue eyes penetrating her, "Ryousuke-san!"

* * *

Author's note:

Sorry for the delay.

Unfortunately no more Celica for me... It' hard to find a GT4 in good condition and who's owner wishes t sell it!

Hope you're all doing well. Cheers for now!

Forever a CelicaChick


	27. Chapter 27: Deja Vu

**Chapter 27 – DejaVu**

Takahashi Ryousuke stood frowning as he kept his steady gaze on her and didn't say anything.  
They stared at each other.

"Ryousuke-kun!" Another voice called out. A dark blue car pulled up in front of them. Furotoku Ken was smiling, "You brought a friend?" He asked wuite surprised as he stepped out of the car and turned his gaze on to Fukutomi Mitsu, "Hi I'm Furotoku Ken and you are?"

"Fukutomi Mitsu." She introduced politely and bowed her head.

He smiled, "You look very familiar. Have we met before?" He glanced at the young man who had yet to say a word before turning his attention back on the young lady.

"Hai. Well… I mean we met briefly when you visited Yahiko."

"Oh! Yes, yes." He glanced at Ryousuke. The young man's hard gaze had not left her. He wondered suddenly if they were having an argument and he had accidentally interrupted them. He cleared his throat, "Shall we get going then?"

Ryousuke nodded.

"Will you be joining us?"

Mitsu glanced from Furotoku Ken to Ryousuke and back to Furotoku Ken .

"Aa." Ryousuke said and moved to climb into the car.

Ken smiled, "Ok, let's go." He said as he moved to pull open a door for Mitsu.

"Thank you."

Ken smiled and went to the driver side.

"You're the first person Ryousuke-kun has brought with him."

Mitsu didn't know what to say. She saw Ken-san briefly glance at Ryousuke with a smile before glancing at her through the rearview mirror. She turned away and looked out her window.

She could hear him chuckle lightly to himself. Where were they going? And what was Ryousuke-san doing with Ken-san? Her eyes widened and she turned to look at him. Was he… She glanced at Furotoku Ken next. That could be the only possible reason. He was practicing with Rotary Excellence! Why else would he be going to meet them?

She turned to look at the passing scenery and caught site of a sign: Twin Ring Motegi. Her eyes widened and she caught sight of Ryousuke noticing through the side view mirrors. He simply turned away when she noticed. They were going to Motegi! Her suspicion was finally confirmed when after fifteen minutes they pulled into the parking lot of the circuit. Furotoku Ken drove towards a back gate and showed the patrolling security guard his badge before they opened the electronic gates to give them access to the paddock area.

"Well here we are." Ken parked the car and turned off the engine. Several men turned to look at them with a smile and a small wave.

"Hey Ryousuke-san!" They called cheerfully.

"Ryousuke-san!" A man roughly their age came rushing towards them his hand extended. Mitsu could tell he was excited to see Ryousuke. Was he another one of his numerous admirers?

"Who's your friend?" he asked glancing to Ryousuke's side towards her.

"Mitsu-chan this is Sato Ichiro, the primary driver of Rotary Excellence. Ichiro-san, this is Fukutomi Mitsu." The young Takahashi presented. Ichiro-san didn't need to know she was the Tokyo Phantom…

Both broke into wide smiles.

"It's a pleasure to meet you!" Mitsu said extending her hand.

"The pleasure is all mine." Ichiro replied shaking it. He smiled. She was definitely a pretty girl.

"Ryousuke-san. We're almost ready." Another man said from a few feet away.

"Hai." He took a step in the direction of the change room when he was stopped by a hand gripping his elbow. He glanced back to see Mitsu holding on to him.

"Don't worry. Mitsu-chan, Ryousuke-san just has to get changed. Do you want to see the car he's going to drive?"

Mitsu's eyes widened and she released her grip on Ryousuke. Giving the man a smile she turned and followed Ichiro away towards the Black FD.

Ryousuke watched them walk away a moment. He pushed the feeling rising to his throat and marched towards the dressing room. Nothing was going to stop him this time. He was going to re-take control over his life. Before anyone starts to suspect his rebellion against his parents wishes, it would be too late. He went inside and closed the door then went to a locker they had set aside for him and pulled the suit that was hanging inside. He lowered his back-pack to the bench and began to change. When he had slipped on the suit he lowered himself to the bench and leaned back so that his head was resting against the wall.

* * *

Flashback: Five years ago…

Ryousuke buckled the restraints and was about to put on the balaclava but turned to look towards the crew where Amaya was waiting for him. She was standing beside Masuko Roku, looking up into his face smiling as he spoke to her. A strange feeling swept through him. She looked extremely happy. She was glowing…

"Ryousuke-san?" A man's voice broke him out of his thoughts and he turned to see one of the crew members standing by the driver side window giving him a curious look. He nodded and proceeded to pull on the balaclava and then his helmet. When both were securely on he glanced towards Amaya again. She was now animatedly speaking to Roku-san. Her body completely turned towards him and her hands moving as she made gestures to accompany her words.

"We're ready." The man to his side said.

Ryousuke nodded and closed the window. He revved the engine a few times took one last glance at Amaya who was still chatting and then took off out of pit lane.

* * *

"Ryousuke?"

The man in question glanced up to see Fukotomi Mitsu standing in the dressing room in front of him. He looked about. No one else was in the room. When had she entered the room?

"Ryousuke-san,"

Both Mitsu and Ryousuke turned at the sound of the second voice to see Ichiro step into the dressing room.

"We're ready." He said then glanced at Mitsu and smiled, "Do you want to join me in the pits?"

Mitsu smiled, "Sure. Thank you. I'll be out in a minute."

Ichiro nodded and glanced at Ryousuke with a smile before leaving the dressing room again. When the door closed behind him, Mitsu took a step towards Ryousuke and kneeled down so that she could be eye level with him.

He watched her.

One of her hands rested on his knee. He tried not to flinch, but when her other hand came to touch his cheek…

She saw something flicker in his eyes and her heart felt like someone had taken it into their fist and was squeezing it like an orange, "It's the past. It's different this time." She whispered softly. She felt him flinch under her hand. She knew she had hit the heart of the matter then, "It's different this time Ryousuke." She offered him a smile and gently caressed the skin of his cheek with her thumb before she took her hand away and took hold of his hand. She stood up, "Come. Let's get you on the track."

As he stood, Mitsu removed her hand from his, and he moved to slip on the top portion of his suit. He zipped it up and grabbed his balaclava and shoved it inside his helmet along with his gloves. Mitsu gave him another smile, "Let's go."

They exited the change room and walked silently to the pits where Rotary Excellence was stationed. The black FD idling quietly, patiently waiting for it's driver to arrive. Takahashi Ryousuke immediately went over to the car and got inside. He strapped himself in and was just about to put on the balaclava when that sense of déjà vu took over him again. He glanced towards the crew. And there Mitsu was standing beside Ichiro-san smiling and listening to what the man was telling her. He turned away. It's not the same… It's more complicated… he thought as he slipped on the fireproof cloth over his head.

"It doesn't look like Keisuke's car at all does it."

Ryousuke turned to see Mitsu standing at his door watching him. When did she get here?  
She seemed to have read his mind then because she smiled when his eyes met hers, "Have fun Ryousuke-san." She said and stepped back a few steps before she made her way back over the concrete wall and rejoined the pit crew.

Ryousuke blinked and put on his helmet. He doubted she realized it, but Mitsu had eradicated that déjà vu feeling that was growing inside of him by her short visit and her non-chalant statement. He glanced at her and found that she was watching him as Ichiro was still talking to her. She gave him a smile then turned to nod at Ichiro. Suddenly the past seemed like something distant and he turned to focus his attention on the track. He revved the engine a few times then glanced at Matsushita Yukio who smiled and gave him the thumbs up. Ryousuke nodded and lowered the e-brake. He placed the FD in gear and took off down pit lane.

Mitsu turned away from Ichiro as the FD pulled away. Her eyes followed the black vehicle.

"So… I didn't know Ryousuke-san had a girlfriend."

"Huh?" Mitsu turned to him, "Amaya? That was a long time ago."

Ichiro frowned, "I meant you Mitsu-chan."

Her head snapped in his direction, "Me?" A blush quickly filled her cheeks, "I… I'm not… We're not… No." She finally ended up saying then turning away, "His parents are my guardians, so Keisuke and him are kind of like my… brothers." She tried not to grimace at the last word. The word tasted bitter when she thought about it being linked to the description of Ryousuke-san.

Ichiro chuckled, "Come see his data." He said and motioned towards the tower. Mitsu followed up the plank. Three men at computers glanced towards them and voiced their hellos before turning back to the computer screens.

"Look at this! How evenly the weight is distributed in that curve!" One man stated. The other two turned to look at his screen.

"Ryousuke-san is amazing." Ichiro said glancing at Mitsu then nodding the computer. He watched as the young lady stepped closer to them so that she could see the various information on the screen. She was surprised to see an on board camera that must have been situated behind Ryousuke very close to his head. She could see part of his helmet, all the gages, the steering wheel and the stick. Even in this situation his motions were smooth. A small smile came to her lips. As cool as ice…

* * *

"Bring it in Ryousuke-san." The voice over the comlink in his helmet said.

"Hai." He replied back. He veered off the track and into pit lane, coming to a stop perfectly on the marker one of the crew held out. He parked the car and killed the engine before removing his gloves, his helmet and balaclava, and finally the racing restraints. One of the crew pulled open the door for him as he stepped out. It felt good to stretch his legs and feel the cool air of the arriving night on his skin. He passed a hand through his damp hair trying to restore some sort of order to the disarrayed lochs.

"I don't think I've ever seen you so disheveled Ryousuke-san." Mitsu said approaching him with a hand towel and a bottle of water.

The man accepted the towel and wiped his face with it before placing it over his shoulder and taking the bottle of water that she was now holding out to him, "Thank you."

"Ryousuke. The food's here."

The said man nodded in acknowledgement and turned to Mitsu, "Excuse me." He gave her curt bow of his head and stepped around her so that he could head back to the paddock.

"Someone always orders food so that we can eat after practice. They know Ryousuke won't have time. Plus it's a good way for all us to get to know each other before Sunday."

She turned to him then, "Sunday?"

Ichiro nodded, "Yeah. For the race."

Mitsu turned to look in the direction Ryousuke had gone in, "He's going to race…" She whispered.

Ichiro heard her and he frowned, "You didn't know?"

"No."

"Fukotomi Mitsu!"

The young lady turned at the sound of her name to see a familiar face approaching her with a huge smile.

"Roku-san." She greeted politely.

"Ichiro." The racer acknowledged.

"Roku-san." The Rotary Excellence's racer said.

Roku turned to the young lady, "Came to watch Ryousuke-san?" It was more of a statement then a question.

"Aa." She nodded.

"He's doing well I presume?"

"Of course." Ichiro replied smiling.

"Wouldn't expect anything less." He turned to Mitsu again, "Good luck on Saturday. Unfortunately I won't be able to see the two of you race since I'll have to be back here early the next day." He frowned suddenly, "Ryousuke-san wouldn't be able to either… Maybe you should-"

"Hold on a minute! Did you say race?" Ichiro looked between the two people standing with him, "You race?"

"Somewhat." Mitsu replied.

Roku shook his head and laid a hand on Ichiro's shoulder, "Ichiro-san you are looking at the Tokyo Phantom."

"Ichiro's jaw dropped open and his eyes widened, "You! You're… You're…"

Roku chuckled and turned to Mitsu, "You and Amaya should discuss moving your race to tomorrow instead of Saturday so that maybe Ryousuke and I can come watch."

"And me! I'm coming!"

Roku glanced at him and laughed again, "Anyway… Think about it. I have to go. See you, if not tomorrow, then on Sunday ja ne!" He said and took off with a wave.

"I can't believe it… Both the White Comet and the Tokyo Phantom are here…"

Mitsu turned to him. She smiled at the awed look he was giving her, "Come on Ichro-san, give me a tour of the paddock." She said motioning for them to head inside since most of the crew had already done so.

* * *

Ryousuke joined the crew in the lunch room. They were all sitting around chatting and eating, some watching last week's race on the tv, others simply sitting back quietly listening to the conversation and drinking.

"Eat p Ryousuke." One man called seeing him enter the room.

The young man nodded and moved to the table of food. He grabbed a paper plate and was selecting some sushi rolls when Ken-san came to his side, "Tired?"

"No."

The man laughed, "Good. So we'll see you and Mitsu-chan tomorrow?"

Ryousuke didn't miss the fact that the man had included Mitsu. Of course he'd be here tomorrow. The real question Ken-san wanted to ask was if 'She' was going to be here.

"It's possible." He replied and moved down the table of food.

"Ken followed him, "Will she be coming on Sunday? We can arrange to have a room for her and any of your family and friends who'll be coming to watch you. Make it a weekend getaway." He smiled.

"That won't be necessary Ken-san," He glanced at the man, "Thank you." He bowed his head then continued to look over the array of food. Whoever had ordered their meal today had definitely chosen a variety of things to eat.

"It's not a problem Ryousuke. Let me know if anything changes." He patted the young man on the shoulder and moved away from him to join the others. He sat down by Matsushita Yukio.

"So?"

Ken shrugged, "Nothing."

"No response?" Ichiro asked coming to sit by him.

"None." Ken affirmed.

"Oh well." The young racer got to his feet and went over to sit by Mitsu.

Ken and Yukio watched curiously.

"Likes to play with fire that one…" Ken said softly.

Yukio laughed, "He admires Ryousuke-san too much to want to cause damage. It'll be fine."

"Hmm." He glanced at Takahashi Ryousuke. Despite the young man's indifferent attitude towards Fukotomi Mitsu, he had brought her here. Not even his brother has accompanied him and it was a well known that the two brothers were very a close pair. He turned to the young lady. That meant she was as equally important… Ichiro's story of the young lady's reaction about being Ryousuke-san's girlfriend also hinted at some hidden feelings for the young Takahashi.

"Don't worry Ken."

"Right." Yukio shook his head.

"Do you remember when we first saw him on the track? When Junichi-san was screening potential racers?"

"Yeah. How can I forget? He was amazing! I was so disappointed he didn't stay."

"I know. Do you remember the girl that was with him?"

"Uh… Not really."

"There was a girl with him. I was walking out to the parking lot to get something from my car and I saw him and that girl talking. I think they broke up that day."

"What! How do you know?"

Ken shrugged, "The way she touched him I guess. The way she looked after they spoke and she got her bags from his car before he left."

"That doesn't mean anything."

"That girl is Roku-san's girlfriend now…"

Yukio's eyes widened slightly, "Your reaching now Ken. You can't be sure of any of that."

"Maybe. Think about it though. That's when the whole 'Lone' White Comet of Akagi started spreading like wild fire."

The two men sat in silence a moment.

"Ryousuke-san! Over here!"

Ken and Yukio turned to watch Ichiro wave over the young serious Takahashi who walked over to them. He chose to sit beside Ichiro, keeping the racer between himself and Mitsu.

"Ryousuke-san, you didn't tell me Mitsu-chan was the Tokyo Phantom!"

"Aa" He popped a piece of sushi into his mouth.

"How long have you been living with the Takahashi family? All I heard was that the Phantom wasn't accepting challenges anymore."

"A few weeks. Yes, my friend updates the site regularly."

"A few weeks?" Ichiro glanced at Ryousuke, "But you guys have known each other since you were kids?"

Ryousuke simply continued to eat.

"No. We only met a few weeks ago. Our father's were best friends."

Ichiro took note of the 'were' and recalled that Ryousuke's parents were the legal guardians, "What happened to your parents? If you don't mind me asking." He noticed Ryousuke glance up suddenly.  
"Would you mind to have a team dinner after the race on Sunday Ichiro-san?"

The racer turned to him, "Dinner? Yes that would be a great idea." He turned to Mitsu, "You'll come too of course?"

Mitsu simply gave him a smile.

"I'll go tell the others so we can make reservations. Any place in particular?"

Ryousuke shook his head, "Wherever you recommend Ichiro-san."

"Okay." He got up and left them to go speak to the others.

"Thank you Ryousuke-san." Mitsu's voice was soft and she was staring down at her hands.

"Aa." He placed a piece of sushi in his mouth and chewed quietly, "What did you learn today?"

The young lady turned to him and smiled, "That even professional racers admire you."

Ryousuke glanced at her.

She laughed and lowered her voice, "Ichiro-san idolizes you."

"He seems to have a great interest in you as well."

"He takes an interest in racers in general." Mitsu corrected.

A tiny smile appeared at the corner of his lips. He moved to offer her some food from his plate.

The young lady eyed the items and spotted her favourite. She scooted closer to him and took the offered chopsticks before picking up a tuna maki and popping it into her mouth. All too aware that Ryousuke was watching her intently. She handed him back his chopsticks, "Thank you. I'm full."

Ryousuke nodded and started to eat again.

"You looked good out there. How did it feel?"

"It's fine. A lot more power than my FC."

"It's strange to see you driving an FD."

"Are you thirsty?" He asked suddenly.

Mitsu hook her head, "Are you? I can get you something while you eat."

The man shook his head, "Learn anything else?"

"You're just as smooth on the track and that you've go the whole crew amazed."

"They haven't seen Keisuke yet." He chuckled.

"You're too hard on yourself Ryousuke-san."

"I'm just stating the truth."

"Mitsu turned away, "I think you're amazing."

Ryousuke had to strain to hear her. He was momentarily speechless. The charming blush that was spreading across her cheeks didn't help his ability to vocalize words either, "Arigato Mitsu-chan." He bowed his head.

"Oh no! Don't do that…" She said more embarrassed now.

Ryousuke continued to look at her. He loved to see her embarrassment. It added to that aura that he couldn't seem to resist. Resist… The small smile that he allowed to show quickly disappeared and he cleared his throat, "We should go soon." He turned to finish his food.

"Ok, it's all set. Sunday evening team dinner. I'll let you guys know the location as soon as I know where we're going." Ichiro said bounding over after seeing the two emotionally distance themselves from each other again. But the attraction had been there for sure. He smiled to himself. A match between the White Comet and the Tokyo Phantom would be quite interesting. He wondered in amusement what their children would be like. Probably little monsters on wheels, he thought excitedly.

"Ready to go?" Ken –san asked joining them.

"Hai." Ryousuke got to his feet and turned to Ichiro, "Thank you for planning the dinner." He bowed politely.

"A pleasure. It will be fun." He turned to Mitsu, "Well see you later then." He smiled and gave her a wink.

"It was great to meet you Ichiro-san."

The racer shook his head, "No, no! It was great to meet you! We'll see each other again soon. Take Masuko Roku's advice and try to move your battle to Friday so that hopefully I can watch too. Here, I'll give you my cell number. Let me know if you'll race tomorrow." Mitsu smiled and nodded as she pulled out her cell phone and saved Ken's number. She could feel Ryousuke's tension when she looked at him from the corner of her eyes. She stepped towards the latter.

"Ok let's go." Ken turned to Ichiro, "You get back to the hotel and rest. No video games."

Ichiro rolled his eyes, "I'm not working this weekend though."

"Yes, you are." Ken shot back and motioned for them to follow him.

Mitsu gave him a smile and a brief wave as she followed Ken-san and Ryousuke-san out of the lunch room and out to the car.

Ken-san spoke to Ryousuke about the habits of the other drivers while Ryousuke silently listened and absorbed everything.

She wondered if he would have any time to do some video study of his opponents on top of his studies, the Redsuns and Project D.

"What do you study Mitsu-chan?" Ken looked at her through the rear-view mirror.

"Oh. Medicine."

"Really?" He smiled, "So does Ryousuke help you?" There came a twinkle to his eyes, "Or maybe you help him?"

She smiled, "More likely the former since he's further along in his studies than I am."

"Oh, I see. Do you go to the same University?"

"Hai."

Ken nodded his approval as he maneuvered the car into the station parking lot and drove to the drop off zone, "Well, here we are."

"Thank you." Both young adults said simultaneously.

Ken smiled, "See you tomorrow."

"Hai" Ryousuke stepped out of the car.

"Mitsu-chan?"

She turned to him.

"Will we see you tomorrow?"

"Probably not. I might have something to do."

"Re-schedule it?" Ken suggested winking.

"Mitsu smiled, "Maybe another time. It was nice seeing you again Ken-san."

"You too. I hope to see you again."

The young lady gave him a smile, climbed out of the car and shut the door. She gave a curt wave and turned to follow Ryousuke.

They walked in comfortable silence, neither of them noticing that the tension and pressure of the bethroval seemed to be missing. They were simply content. They paid for their tickets and walked out of the waiting area where they took two empty seats.

"Would you like something to drink Mitsu-chan?"

She shook her head, "I'm fine thank you."

Ryousuke nodded and got to his feet again so he could walk towards one of the vending machines against the wall several feet away.

Mitsu sat back with a sigh and then yawned only realizing now that she was tired. She tried not to watch as Ryousuke bent down to retrieve his drink from the machine. She then tried not to feel… She didn't quite know what she was feeling when she saw two girls walk up to him gushing with giggles as they shook his hand and flicked their long dark hair.

She crossed her arms and closed her eyes, trying to recall what she was supposed to study tonight. Before she could get her thoughts organized, she felt the weight of a body settle in the seat beside her. She wasn't worried. She instantly recognized Ryousuke's smell. Her eyes opened only to see a can of coffee move into her line of vision, the bearer holding it out to her in an offering. The content of the can was steaming temptingly before her eyes, "No thank you."

Ryousuke brought the can to his lips and took a long sip.

Mitsu checked the time. They had half an hour before their train arrived. She grabbed her bag and pulled a book to start her required reading. She had only been reading for about ten minutes when she started hearing giggling and whispering close behind her. She glanced back and saw a few girls staring in her companions direction. She rolled her eyes, "Your female fans are so discreet…" She said glancing at Ryousuke who was sipping his coffee.

He glanced at her curiously. Was she annoyed? This was interesting.

"Don't you get annoyed with it all?"

Ryousuke shrugged, "Sometimes."

She continued to stare at him.

He sighed, "Yes." He relented, "There's nothing I can do about it, so why waste the energy?"

Mitsu seemed satisfied with his admission and turned back to her book, a lock of hair falling out of her ponytail.

He automatically reached out and took hold of it before tucking it behind her ear.

"Mitsu turned to him and gave him a quick smile before going back to her reading, aware that the girls behind her had noticed and were not too happy about seeing the small action.

Ryousuke on the other hand had turned away after receiving her smile, his stomach flip-flopping. He pulled out is laptop and started running through a few simulations for Project D. He had to stop this small weakness from spreading and the quickest way to do that was to forget it.

The continued to sit in comfortable silence until a few minutes before their departure time then made their way to the platform. The station was busy as always and occasionally Mitsu could hear someone state: "That was Takahashi Ryousuke!" and each time she tried not to smile when she turned to see the man impassively following her, seemingly unaware of what was going on around them.

"He's so cute." A girl's voice floated towards them.

Mitsu turned to smile at him.

He met her gaze and smiled!

So shocked was she that she turned away as though she had been slapped then turned back again to make sure her eyes had not deceived her, and there he was following behind her, his eyes catching hers and the smile still visible on his face. She felt herself blushing and Ryousuke touched her back gently.  
"They've started boarding."

She turned about and walked towards the entrance of the Shinkansen. They found their seats and sat down. Mitsu took the window seat and immediately turned to stare outside waiting for the blush of her cheeks to disappear before she could face him again. When the train had started to move, she heard Ryousuke moving and turned to see what he was doing. He had taken out one of his textbooks and opened it to read. She smiled. Of course he would be capitalizing on every free minute. She rested her head back and allowed the calming motion of the train to lull her to sleep.

* * *

One hour and thirteen minutes later…

Ryousuke shut his book and looked down at Mitsu who's head was resting on his shoulder as she slept. Somewhere along the ride she had slid towards him and found a comfortable cushion against him. He stared down at her closed eyelids. He could smell the perfume of her shampoo. Vanilla and roses… He mentally kicked himself and his face became impassive as he nudged her awake. Her eyes fluttered open and she groaned sleepily as she straightened and turned to him.

"Our stop is next." He said as she looked at him through clouded eyes.

Mitsu nodded and covered her mouth to yawn. She turned to Ryousuke. Their eyes met and they stared at each other.

Mitsu cleared her throat and her eyes wavered from his before she turned to look through her bag for her bottle of water.

Ryousuke also turned away and faced the back of the seat in front of him, rather upset with himself for his repeated lack of control over his body. He felt like he was acting like one of those television teenagers he despised so much with their raging hormones. How disgusting.

"Ryousuke-san?"

He turned to look at her, his face expressionless.

Mitsu knew that look. Something had upset him, "Sorry I fell asleep on you." It was the only thing she could think of that could have changed his mood suddenly.

Ryousuke stared at her, then raised a hand to cup her face as he crushed his lips to hers. The kiss was soft, gentle, but as Mitsu got over her surprise and began kissing him back it slowly began to ignite.  
That was until the announcement came over the speakers informing the passengers the arrival at their stop.

They pulled apart breathing heavily. Mitsu turned away biting her lip as she fussed with replacing her bottle of water back in her bag. Ryousuke also turned away, climbing out of his seat so to retrieve his bag from the overhead compartment to put away his book.

The train came to a halt and Mitsu was quickly out of her seat, sliding out pass her companion and into the aisle without making eye contact with him. He was watching her, she felt it. She moved towards the exit, her bag over her shoulder.

"Mitsu-chan." His stern low voice stopped her. No one else was in the cart with them.

She slowly turned around and met his gaze.

"I apologize…"

Mitsu nodded simply before he could say any more, "It's getting late." She turned to walk out of the car. Suddenly she stopped, spinning around she got up on her tip-toes and placed her lips to his, kissing him quickly one last time.

Before he could even reach out to touch her or simply react, she had pulled away and had walked out of the car leaving him stunned. He took a step forward then hesitated a split second as he composed himself and went after her. When he joined her on the platform she started off again. They walked side by side out of the station and into the parking lot.

"Where did you park?"

"Over there."

"I'll walk you."

"It's not necessary."

"I'll walk you."

Mitsu relented with a shrug and started in the direction she had left her car, "Thank you." She said as they reached the white sw20.

Ryousuke nodded and waited for her to unlock and open the door. His hand touched her back gently as she climbed into the car. She glanced up at him as he moved to shut the door with a nod. Mitsu watched as he turned and strolled away, his bag over his shoulders and his hands stuffed in his pant pockets. Mitsu sighed and turned the key in the ignition. She pulled out of the parking stall and looked about. Where was he? She waited a few minutes before she spotted the FC moving towards the exit. She went after it. He had been amazing to watch out there on the track but she still couldn't help feeling excitement at possibly seeing him up close and behind her own steering wheel. As she pulled up behind him, she saw him glance at her through his rear view mirror. She smiled and he turned away.

They pulled out, she was surprised to see how very conservative Ryousuke still drove. So he had not been trying to hide his driving. This was simply just how he drove on the streets. With that thought no longer an issue, she was no longer occupied with scrutinizing his every move. He mind drifted began to dwell on the kiss they had shared. She couldn't help but wonder how intense the kiss would have gotten if they had not been interrupted and brought back to reality. Her cheeks flushed and suddenly the car felt so warm.

"Argh! Forget him!" She told herself, "It's not going to happen!" It's not going to happen!" Sadness creeped into her heart as she fought to keep it out, "No… This is not what I want… I don't want him…" Tears came to her eyes. She wiped them away in surprise. Why was she so upset? She wiped the tears from her cheeks but they didn't stop flowing, "I'm just being stupid… I don't want him…" She wiped at the tears and stepped down on the accelerator. Swinging to the middle lane, she flew past the FC and pulled away.

Ryousuke watched as the SW20 pulled alongside him a second before moving on. She was upset. He accelerated and kept up with her. They neared an intersection, the light turned yellow and Mitsu continued through.

He frowned and slowed at the intersection. There wasn't any cars and if there had been any police hidden and had not shown himself to go after the excessively speeding Mitsu-chan, he was probably safe. He proceeded through the intersection and caught up to her. Was she upset because of what had happened? He sighed. Things were falling apart all around him and amidst it all, he could only think about were her inviting lips. He could still smell her… taste her…

Ryousuke shook the unwanted thoughts out of his head. He was glad when she turned off on the exit for home. He was exhausted and he wanted to have Fukotomi Mitsu out of his line of sight. The SW20'd speed didn't lessen as it turned into the residential area and quickly pulled into the long driveway and to the side of the back of the house where she parked and darted towards the house.

Ryousuke got out of his car and followed her, "Mitsu-chan." He called after her. She didn't stop. She had unlocked the door and stepped inside, leaving it open for him.

"There you are!" Keisuke came down the stairs smiling. It quickly faded when he saw the tight smile, "What's wrong?"

Ryousuke appeared through the door.

"Aniki?" When his brother didn't say anything and started removing his shoes he turned back to Mitsu, "What happened?"

"Mitsu stepped into her slippers, "Nothing Keisuke-kun. I'm just tired. See you tomorrow ok?" She pat his arm and walked pass him up the stairs.

Keisuke watched her go then turned to his brother who had already slipped on his slippers and was making his way towards the stairs as well.

"Did you finish your homework?" His younger brother was following him up the stairs and to his room.  
Keisuke nodded to the approval of his brother, "She looks upset."

"I have a lot of work to get done."

"Then why are you home so late?"

"I had things to do Keisuke." Ryousuke entered his dark room and turned on the light before making his way to his desk.

"Were you with Mitsu-chan?"

His Aniki turned around, "That's none of your concern Keisuke."

The younger Takahashi stood expressionless a moment so taken aback by his brother's almost angry reply, "I was just asking Aniki." He replied also upset now. He turned on his heels and marched out of the room and slamming the door shut behind him.

Ryousuke rubbed his temples and moved to the patio doors. He fished through his pockets as he stepped outside. Pulling out his cigarettes and lighter he proceeded to light one. He exhaled slowly; controlled. The nicotine passing through his blood stream was spreading a deadly calm through his body. He shut his eyes briefly at the familiar feeling of being watched. He decided to ignore the pair of eyes watching him.

"Ryousuke-san."

He exhaled slowly as he heard her soft voice, "Yes?" He didn't turn around.

"Please don't smoke."

Ryousuke hesitated as he was about to bring the cigarette back to his lips. He sighed inwardly and still without turning to look at the speaker, he moved to put out the cigarette in the ashtray on the railing a couple of feet from him.

"Thank you."

The feeling of being watched disappeared and Ryousuke stared out into the night. Just like that he ad conceded to her wish… Vanilla and roses and her soft lips pressed… he let out a small frustrated groan and spun around to go back inside. He needed to study. He needed to get her out of his head!


	28. Chapter 28: Mitsu vs Amaya

**Chapter 28 –** **Mitsu vs. Amaya**

Mitsu awoke the next morning feeling like she had never gone to sleep. She made a slight groaning noise and tucked her head under the duvet trying to block out the music that was coming out from her alarm clock. Her dreams had been filled with thoughts of Ryousuke and each time she had awoken wanting him but her pride wouldn't allow her mind to conceive the idea of submitting to this forced union. She uncovered her head and turned to look at the picture beside the alarm clock. Her parents' smiling faces stared back at her. So alive… She pushed the mounting pain deep within her and climbed out of bed. It was time to get ready.

Later when she arrived in the kitchen, Tsugumi was already there drinking her miso soup.

"Morning!"

She smiled as she avoided looking at the other Takahashi also sitting at the table drinking his coffee, "Morning."

The Teenager looked between her cousin and Mitsu with a sad frown.

"Finish your miso Tsugumi. It's time to go." He got out of his seat and moved to put his cup in the dishwasher before moving out of the kitchen.

She watched her cousin leave then turned to Mitsu, "You don't even acknowledge each other anymore?"

Mitsu shrugged, "You should hurry." She said and sipped the cup of coffee she had just poured for herself.

Tsugumi sighed, "Right." She finished her soup and placed the bowl away, "See you tonight." And she rushed out.

Mitsu moved to the kitchen window. Ryousuke was standing by his idling FC. He lifted his head and stared directly at her. They simply stared at each other until Mitsu turned away at the sound of the front door opening and closing as Tsugumi left the house.

Ryousuke also turned away and within moments his cousin had joined him and they took off.  
Mitsu pressed her fingers to her temples. Was she starting to get a headache already? She quickly finished her tea and was on her way to school.

* * *

Ryousuke had excused himself from eating lunch with his friends again claiming he had research to do in the library. In reality he knew Mitsu would be joining them and it would be simply uncomfortable for her and his friends if he was there and obviously ignoring her. He didn't want to be subject to their interrogations about his non-existent relationship with Mitsu at the moment.

Classes were finally over for the day and he was now standing to the far side of one of the building doors under a tree that was along the path that lead to parking lot. He didn't have to wait long before he saw her walking towards him, listening to a girl he didn't recognize animatedly talking to her.

Her gaze met his.

"Ryousuke-san!"

The young man turned to nod at Mitsu's companion then he turned his gaze back to Fukotomi Mitsu, "Could I have a word with you Mitsu-chan?" He didn't wait for a reply as he turned and walked away.

Mitsu turned to her classmate, "Excuse me." She went after him.

When she reached him, he turned around to face her. She saw his gaze scan the area behind her, "Will you be going to Yahiko tonight?"

Surprised, she simply nodded.

Ryousuke nodded, "Is Keisuke going with you?"

"I haven't asked him."

Ryousuke met her gaze again, "If he does. Remind him that he needs to learn to remain calm."

Mitsu nodded, "Ok."

The man nodded his thanks.

They stared at each other in silence. There had been a lot of staring going on between them lately…

Finally, Ryousuke broke the contact by bowing his head and taking his leave.

Mitsu turned and rejoined her friend.

"What was that about?"

"Oh just some family thing." She shrugged and they continued to walk to the parking lot.

* * *

Mount Yahiko 

Keisuke pulled to a stop beside the SW20 and went to meet Mitsu-chan as she got out of her car.  
"Easy Keisuke-kun." She said touching his arm lightly as she saw the hard look on his face. They walked towards the group of racers on the other side of the lot.

One of them broke away from the group to meet them, "Mitsu-Chan! Keisuke-Chan! Welcome back. Feel free to practice. We're all done. Just having a quick meeting."

"Thank you Amaya-chan. We won't be very long." Mitsu bowed her head and turned to Keisuke. She touched his arm gently and he followed her back to the car.

"You're not going to block me tonight are you?"

"No. I don't want her to see you drive your best though."

"Don't worry about her Keisuke-kun. Besides I just want to get to know the course more. Nothing fancy."

Keisuke nodded and watched as she got back into her car before going over to his. He waited until she started off down the hill before following her. Just as she said she didn't do anything fancy. Her pace was fast but not overly flashy, yet he could still feel that she was good. He could tell that she had good control over the SW20 she was driving.

When they neared the bottom of the course, and Yahiko shrine came into view, Mitsu turned on her hazard lights and brought the car to a stop. Keisuke did the same and joined her outside, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I just wanted to check something." She walked to the edge of the road and tested the ground with her foot where the asphalt and the sand began. There was a slight dip. She walked several meters ahead and did the same before checking the other side of the road. She walked back to Keisuke, "One more run and I'm done."

"That's it?" he asked surprised.

Mitsu nodded, "Yeah I'm getting tired."

Probably because she had been out late with his brother last night. He thought to himself, "Ok let's go." He went back to his car and they turned to go back up the mountain. When they reached the top, Mitsu got out of her car and went over to the FD, "I'm just going to thank them for letting us practice then we can go."

Keisuke nodded, "I'm coming with you." He said and got out of the car. He followed her and crossed his arms when they reached the group and Oonishi Amaya.

"We'll just have one more run down and then we'll be going. Thank you for allowing us to use the course." She bowed politely.

"We'll have an interesting battle tomorrow." Amaya exclaimed.

Mitsu nodded.

One of the guys stepped forward, "Maybe we can go for drinks afterwards?"

Mitsu smiled and was about to answer when Keisuke stepped out in front of her.

"She's not available." He said sternly.

Mitsu eyes widened in shock but she quickly recovered and hooked her hand though his crossed arms. She laughed lightly to dispel the tension, "I forgot I've already made plans with Keisuke-kun tomorrow night. Well then, Ja ne." She gave a friendly wave then turned to leave still holding onto the blond Takahashi.

"I don't like them!" Keisuke said through clenched teeth.

"He didn't do anything to you or your Aniki Keisuke."

"He's hitting on you!"

Mitsu turned to look up at him, "I wouldn't have gone without you and Satoro."

"Aniki wouldn't like it."

Mitsu sighed as they reached her car. She removed her hand from his arm, "I don't want to talk about your Aniki." She unlocked her car, "Let's go home." She said and got inside.

Keisuke groaned and glanced back at the Kamikaze Racers. He gave all of them a hard glare and then went to his FD and climbed in to follow Fukotomi Mitsu back down Yahiko and back home.

* * *

1:03 am

Ryousuke lowered his bag to the floor beside his desk and went to get changed. He then returned to his desk and sat down to get to work. He pulled out his laptop from his bag and turned it on.

Suppressing a yawn he reached for a text book and set it beside his laptop. He hesitated and looked towards his door a moment. Everyone was asleep. He turned back to his laptop but made no move to start his work. Before he could think any further, he got to his feet and left his room, making his way to the room next to his. He stared at the door a moment before knocking lightly on it.

He waited a moment but when no one came, he turned to head towards Keisuke's room.

"Ryousuke-san…"

He turned to see a half asleep Fukotomi Mitsu looking at him with complete confusion written all over her face. He stood looking at her speechless.

"Are you ok?" Mitsu asked cocking her head to the side when the man in front of her, standing in the dark corridor, continued to stare at her without a word.

"Aa." He nodded regaining his senses, "I'm sorry to wake you at this hour Mitsu-chan but I'll be leaving early tomorrow morning."

"Oh."

"Satoro-san is coming tomorrow?"

"Hai."

Ryousuke nodded, "There will be a room available for you tomorrow night if you'd like to come to Motegi on Sunday. Satoro is also welcomed."

Mitsu's eyes widened slightly and she smiled, "Thank you. That would be nice."

Ryousuke shook his head, "Ken-san and everyone else really wanted you all to come this Sunday. They arranged everything."

"That was very nice of them. I'll make sure to thank them tomorrow." She smiled.

Ryousuke nodded, "Well good night then." He said bowing shortly and making his way down the hall.  
Mitsu watched as he walked down to his brother's room before she disappeared back into her own room.

Ryousuke knocked on his younger brother's bedroom door. When he heard the familiar groan he proceeded to push open the door and walk into the dark room. Carefully stepping inside he allowed his eyes to adjust to the darkness. Within moments all the dark shapes of unknown objects could be seen all over the floor. Takahashi Ryousuke unconsciously strategically plotted the safest route to his brother's bed. Once there he nudged his brother, "Keisuke."

There was an incoherent sound from what appeared to be the younger brother's head.

"We're going to Twin Ring Motegi Sunday."

Keisuke's head shot up completely awake, "Eh?"

Ryousuke chuckled.

"You got tickets?" Keisuke asked getting excited.

"Not exactly." He waited as Keisuke turned on his bedside lamp. When his brother was facing him again and he could clearly see his face, Ryousuke continued, "I'm driving for Rotary Excellence Sunday."

Keisuke's eyes widened and his mouth dropped open.

Ryousuke smiled, "Keep your calm tomorrow night Keisuke. I'll see you, Mitsu and Satoro tomorrow after the race." He got to his feet and made his way through the debris as though they weren't even there.

"Aniki!"

Ryousuke turned to his brother. He smiled when Keisuke just stared at him still too shocked and excited to say anything, "Try to sleep Otoutou. I'll see you tomorrow." He turned and left the room closing the door with a soft click.

Keisuke stared at the closed door. Ryousuke was going to race for Rotary Excellence… Rotary Excellence! He plopped back onto his bed and stared up at the ceiling. His heart was pounding.  
"Aniki…"

* * *

Race day 8:07 am

Mitsu walked into the kitchen expecting to see Emi and Fujimaro making breakfast. Ryousuke was gone already and Keisuke would still be asleep. But there the latter was messing around with some rice, trying to make them into the tradition triangular shape of the Onigiri. She leaned up against the door frame and watched him amused. He was such a cute guy. His brows were furrowed in concentration and she could tell he was starting to get frustrated. He frowned at the oddly shaped onigiri. A perfectionist in disguise… A hint of a similarity to his older brother. She cleared her throat.

Keisuke turned to her in surprise. His back straightened and his hands sprung away from the rice like he had just been caught doing something bad.

"Planning on making a special someone breakfast?" She walked towards him and took a closer look at the rice, "A little less seasoning and it would be perfect." She moved over to the coffee pot.

Keisuke smiled, "Thanks! Let me get that Mitsu-chan! You sit down!" He said leading her to the table and making his way to the coffee pot.

Mitsu watched him curiously. What was going on with him this morning?

"Cream and sugar right?"

"Aa."

He carried a steaming mug of coffee and placed it on the table in front of her. She watched as he moved away again and brought back the odd shaped onigiri ha had made and set a plate in front of her with a smile.

"Made you breakfast this time." He said proudly.

"Thank you Keisuke-kun. You didn't have to."

"You're racing today. You need your energy. That's what Aniki always says." He smiled and sat down beside her as he took one of the onigiri.

Mitsu did the same, "It's good Keisuke. Thank you."

He beamed.

"Ohio." Takahashi Emi and Fujimaro entered the kitchen.

"Ohayo."

"Onigiri?" Emi looked at Mitsu curiously.

"Keisuke-kun made breakfast today."

"Wow!" Emi exclaimed walking over to her son and ruffled his hair since he yet to style it, "This is a first!" She smiled and went to get some coffee.

"So what are the you guys doing today?" Fujimaro asked as he sat down at the table after seeing that his wife was also pouring a second cup of coffee.

Keisuke shrugged.

"I might study a little." Mitsu replied.

"I was going to ask if you guys wanted to join us at the hospital today."

Keisuke frowned, "Pass."

Fujimaro turned to Mitsu.

"I'd love to!" She said excitedly.

The man smiled then turned to his youngest son, "Where is Ryousuke?"

Keisuke shook his head, "He went out."

"This early?" Emi asked coming back to the table. She placed a mug of coffee in front of her husband and sat down with her own.

Keisuke nodded and took another onigiri.

Mitsu sipped her coffee. She noticed the elder Takahashi's exchange worried looks but didn't question them further on Ryousuke's whereabouts.

Fujimaro turned to Mitsu-chan, "Would you like to come with us or would do you want to meet us at the hospital?"

"I can be ready in a few minutes." She replied finishing her coffee and taking one Onigiri and quickly eating it.

Emi giggled, "Take your time sweetheart."

Mitsu blushed and chewed slower.

"Are you racing tonight?"

Keisuke turned to his father and shook his head, "Mitsu-chan is racing Amaya tonight."

That surprised the Takahashis.

Both turned to look at her.

"You also race?" Emi asked surprised

Mitsu nodded in response.

"Of course. Look at her car." Fujimaro added.

"And you're racing Amaya-chan tonight?"

"Hai."

"And she's going to win." Keisuke said confidently.

"How did this happen?" Emi asked carefully.

"She Challenged Mitsu and she accepted."

Emi and Fujimaro turned to her.

"You're doing this for yourself?" Fujimaro asked.

Mitsu was a little taken aback by the question, "Aa."

"Ok." The man nodded his approval then finished his coffee, "Good luck." He said giving her a smile.

Emi also smiled and turned to Keisuke, "And you behave yourself tonight."

Keisuke rolled his eyes.

"Is your Aniki going?"

The young man shook his head, "He said he had something to do."

"I see." Emi sensed her son's reluctance to say what his brother was doing tonight. She didn't push him. Ryousuke wouldn't do anything dangerous or illegal. He was a responsible young man. She sighed. He hadn't spoken much to them since he had learned of the bethroval. Mitsu-chan seemed to be more receptive to them then their own son. She turned to the young lady, "I'm sorry Mitsu-chan. If things really don't work out… Well none of us will force the two of you. We just want the two of you to be happy."

Mitsu looked down into her coffee briefly before she quickly finished it and got up to put everything away. She bowed politely, "Please excuse me. I'm going to get ready."

Emi watched the young lady leave then she turned to her youngest son and watched as he lowered his gaze to his food and began eating again.

She smiled, "It was very nice of you to make breakfast." She said and reached over to ruffle his hair.  
"Mom!" He pushed himself from the table and out of her reach.

* * *

Takasaki 

"Ah! Katsu-san." Fujimaro called as they approached a man who had his back turned to them while he signed some papers at the counter he was currently standing at.

Mitsu watched as the man who looked like he couldn't be older than in his late twenties turned to them and smiled broadly, "Fujimaro-san! Good morning!" His eyes landed on Mitsu.

"Mitsu-chan this is one of our resident physicians Yamamoto Katsu, Katsu-san this is Fukotomi Masao's daughter Mitsu-chan." He introduced.

They bowed politely to each other.

"Hello." They both said at the same time. Their eyes met and they laughed lightly.

Fujimaro glanced at his watch, "My goodness! I have a meeting in ten minutes. Mitsu-chan would it be ok if you checked in with the nurse and let her know that you're with me today and if she could show you around and I'll join up with you as soon as I'm done?"

"She can accompany me. I don't mind." Katsu suggested before Mitsu could respond.

Fujimaro studied him, "Are you sure? She's a medical student it would be very beneficial for her. Maybe she might be able to help you out."

Yamamoto Katsu smiled, "It's not a problem Fujimaro-san. It will be my pleasure."

"Thank you." He turned to the young lady, "Have fun Mitsu-chan. I will see you in a few hours."

The young lady nodded and watched as Takahashi-san walked briskly away.

"So Mitsu-chan, what year medical school are you in?"

"My third." She answered as the man moved to finish signing the last of the forms on the counter top before he handed them back to the nurse who smiled sweetly at him. She took the opportunity to study him. He was maybe six feet with dark hair and she allowed herself to admit quite an athletic built. She averted her eyes quickly as he turned to face her again. When she saw him smile she blushed.

"So my first patient happens to be very cute."

Mitsu turned to him surprised he was being so open with her.

"She's just here to be inoculated." He smiled again, "Down this way. This is where the examination rooms are located."

* * *

Keisuke walked through the swinging doors of the cafeteria. The room was almost empty except for a lone man in scrubs sitting at a table by the window and in another corner Mitsu-chan and another man wearing scrubs were also sitting at a table chatting. He frowned when he saw the two of them laughing.

"Keisuke!" Mitsu exclaimed as she saw him approaching.

"The head nurse said I could find you here." He glanced over at the man sitting with her.

"Keisuke, this is Doctor Yamamoto Katsu. He has been allowing me to accompany , him on his runs today. Katsu-san this is Takahashi Keisuke."

The man stood up and bowed before offering Keisuke his hand.

The young Takahashi shook it.

"It's nice to meet Takahashi Sensei's son." The doctor said smiling.

"Uh… Well… It nice to meet you." Keisuke fumbled feeling completely uncomfortable and out of place in this situation, in this environment. He turned to Mitsu-chan, "Ready to go?"

"Hai. Thank you for today Katsu-san. It was a very good experience."

The man agreed, "Well hopefully when you volunteer, you can shadow my runs." He said smiling brightly.

"That would be great."

Keisuke watched the exchange, "We have to go." He said wanting to grab Mitsu-chan and get away from this place.

"Right!" She bowed, "Thanks again Katsu-san." She turned to follow Keisuke.

They were almost out of the cafeteria when Katsu came running up to them, "Wait!"

Keisuke and Mitsu turned to him.

"Would you like to go to dinner tonight?"

Keisuke's pupils narrowed.

Mitsu simply smiled, "I'm sorry I've got plans already."

"Oh ok. Maybe next time then."

Mitsu smiled and turned to Keisuke who nodded and they walked out together.

"So where are you taking me?"

"Family's. We usually go there to eat." He said as he unlocked the FD and walked over to the driver's side.

Once they were both inside and strapped in, Keisuke started the car and pulled out of the hospital parking lot. He felt relief come over him the further away he got from the place.

"You don't like hospital do you?" Mitsu asked looking over at him amused.

Keisuke frowned, "Who said that?"

"I can tell. I thought you wouldn't be so uncomfortable since your parents are directly involved."

Keisuke shrugged, "I don't like the pressure."

Mitsu frowned.

The man beside her glanced at her then sighed, "It's just that hospital. Because My parents own it, and they're both doctors and Aniki is going to be a doctor, there's a lot of pressure. Even if my parents don't pressure me, I can still feel pressure from people wondering what 'great' achievement I'll come up with. I rather just not face them."

"That's got to be just as tough. Yeah I could see why people would ask you. But you know what Keisuke-kun?" She placed her hand on the forearm of the hand he was using to shift, "Anyone with a will to study hard can become a doctor, but it takes Talent and hard work to become a racer."

Keisuke turned to her with a large smile, "I like you!"

Mitsu laughed, "Oh so you didn't before?"

Keisuke laughed, "Well you know… We had to be careful. A lot of people try to get to us."

"I know. It's ok Keisuke." She offered him another smile.

The car was silent as he continued to drive and Mitsu turned to look at the scenery.

"So…"

"Hmm?" She turned to him.

"So do you like that Katsu guy?"

Mitsu turned to him shocked.

Keisuke glanced at her when he didn't get a response and laughed at her expression.

"He's a nice guy, but I don't really know him."

"Good."

"Good? You didn't like him?"

"It's not that." Keisuke hesitated, "You're like my sister. I don't want some guy I don't know anything about taking you out."

Mitsu smiled and reached for his hand, "Thanks Keisuke. You're like the brother I never had." She saw him blush and she giggled, "So I could go out with someone you know? Like Fumihiro?"

"Fumihiro? He's a good guy, but he can't go out with him."

Mitsu turned back to him confused, "Why not?"

"Because it's wrong to date your friend's girl, and Fumihiro and my Aniki are pretty good friends." He blurted out without thinking.

Silence.

Keisuke glanced over at her. What was wrong with her? She was staring at him blankly. He chuckled nervously and became red, "Oops." He turned away a moment. He couldn't believe he had let it slip that he thought Mitsu was Ryousuke's girl. He took another glance at her. She had turned to face straight ahead again with a far away look on her face.

He pulled into Family's parking lot, "This is it."

She nodded and reached for the door handle.

"Wait."

Mitsu turned to look at him.

"I know that this bethroval thing sucks. I hate the idea. But I didn't mean that you were Ryousuke's girl because of the bethroval." He saw Mitsu's eyes look up to meet his, "He likes you. He 'really' likes you Mitsu-chan."

Fukotomi Mitsu's eyes widened slightly.

"I've never seen him react to anyone like he does to you."

"I'm sure Oonishi Am-"

Keisuke shook his head, "No one." He interrupted her, "Not my parents, not Amaya, not me, no one. Until you came into his life."

"Keisuke…"

"Hear me out Mitsu. Maybe you don't notice because he always seems to do what you ask of him. But my Aniki is actually pretty stubborn. No matter how much you ask him, he won't do something if it's something he doesn't want to do. And if he has his mind set on something, there's nothing anyone can do to stop him. Except you."

"Keisuke, I can't… I can't marry your Aniki."

"I'm not talking about you guys getting married. I'm just telling you that he likes you. And it's seems that you like him to." He looked at her but saw nothing, "You do like him don't you Mitsu-chan?" He asked a little worried.

Mitsu saw the honest worry in his eyes, "Hai." She admitted softly.

Keisuke smiled, "You guys should do what makes you happy. Anyway, come on I'm hungry!" He saw her smile and was happy.

The two of them got out of the car and Mitsu linked her arm at his elbow, "Keisuke-kun?"

"Huh?"

They entered the restaurant and were asked to help themselves to an empty table.

"Please don't tell Ryousuke-san…" She asked shyly as they had made themselves comfortable at one of the booths by the window.

"I won't tell him, if he doesn't ask me."

Mitsu nodded. She couldn't ask him to lie to his brother, so this was the best she could hope for.  
"You know, I've never seen anyone handle stress like my brother before. But you some how manage to do it too." He smirked. In some ways she seemed to be doing better than his Aniki.

Mitsu simply smiled, "Was Ryousuke-san always so… Driven?"

Keisuke nodded, "From what I can remember, yeah." He passed her a menu without looking at it.

"Aren't you going to eat?"

"I already know what I'm getting." He winked and nodded towards the menu.

Mitsu pulled it open and scanned through the items quickly choosing the first think she found appealing on the menu and then closing it.

"That was fast."

"I try not to look too much or I'll find more things I like then I'll never decide what to get." She said bashfully.

Keisuke laughed, "I like it. I hate it when girls take forever." He motioned for the server.

They placed their order and when the waitress left, Mitsu turned to Keisuke again, "Keisuke? Would you mind… Well… To come with me to… To visit them?"

The young man frowned. Them?

Then it dawned and him and he wanted to hit himself, "Ok. After we eat?"

Mitsu nodded, "Thanks."

Their food arrived then and they ate and talked about strategies for Mitsu's race against Amaya.  
When they had finished, Keisuke treated her the lunch and they went back to the FD.

The atmosphere in the car became ever more silent the closer they approached the cemetery where Mitsu's parents had been laid to rest. When they finally arrived, Keisuke pulled into an empty spot in a shaded spot by a large weeping willow tree and turned off the engine. They sat in silence.

Mitsu tried to exhale the breath she had been holding as slowly and as inconspicuously as possible.

She turned to Keisuke.

"I'll wait for you here." He said unsure what to do next.

She nodded and pushed open the FD's door and stepped out.

The rays from the sun touched her face with it's warmth. Her eyes closed briefly before shutting the door. In that split second she could have forgotten all her worries and that everything was right in the world. But reality, shot out to the front of her consciousness like a bullet, making sure she didn't forget. She sighed and glanced back at Keisuke to give him a reassuring smile when she saw his worried face. She turned and started into the cemetery grounds. Her steps slowed as she approached their resting place. She came to a stop before them and bowed her head. When she looked up again tears came to her eyes and she fell to her knees.

"I… I wish you were here…" She shook her head, "I… Too much… There's just too much going on…"

* * *

Keisuke had stepped out of the FD and was at the entrance of the cemetery. He had just wanted to keep an eye on her and make sure she wasn't disturbed. His eyes narrowed and a sigh escaped his lips when he saw her collapse to her knees. He took a step forward then retracted back when he realized if it had been him he probably wouldn't want anyone to see him if he was in a similar state. So he stood where he was simply waiting and feeling annoyed that there was nothing he could do to help. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out a pack of cigarettes and lit one. He needed to calm down. Watching Mitsu was making him feel like crap.

He was just about to light his forth cigarette when he saw Mitsu wipe her face and move to get up. He placed the cigarette in his pocket.

"Shit!" He cursed and ran towards her as he saw her attempt to get up and collapsed to the ground again. He got down and wrapped his arm around her waist.

"You ok?" he asked hauling her up.

"Hai." She said softly.

"Sure." Keisuke said frowning. The girl was still leaning heavily against him, "Can you make it to the car?"

She nodded again and moved to take a step away from him.

Keisuke tightened his hold on her when she stumbled again, "Come here." He pulled her towards him and picked her up.

A small gasp escaped her lips as she was hauled into his arms and he started back towards the parking lot.

"I'm ok Keisuke-kun, you can put me down."

"This is faster." He said simply.

"You were smoking." She could smell it on him.

She saw a blush come to his cheeks, "You really shouldn't."

He remained silent.

"I don't want you to get sick and leave me too…" She choked out.

Keisuke glanced down at her before lowering her to the ground. He didn't know what to say. He hated these kinds of touchy moments. He unlocked the door to the FD and pulled the passenger side open for her, "Don't worry Mitsu-chan." He said and motioned for her to enter the car.

Mitsu slipped inside and looked at him again.

"Don't worry." He said and shut the door. As soon as it was closed he pulled out his cell phone and dialed his brother's number.

"Moshi, Moshi."

"Oye Aniki, there's a problem."

"What is it Keisuke?"

"Mitsu-chan asked me to bring her to see her parents and now she's so weak she can't even walk on her own. What do I do Aniki, she has a race in a few hours"

There was a moment of silence and Keisuke could hear people talking in the back ground about the car's settings.

"Just let her rest, Keisuke." He ended the call.

Keisuke looked down at his phone before pocketing it. His Aniki didn't seem concerned at all. He walked over to the driver's side and got into the car, "Ready?"

"Hai."

* * *

Mitsu shut her door and went to lie down on her bed. She was exhausted. She had just settled down and closed her eyes when her cell phone began ringing. She sighed and reached to the side of the bed and dug her phone out of her bag. Without bothering to check the caller ID, she really didn't care at the moment, she answered the call. 

"Hello…"

"Mitsu-chan."

Her eyes darted open at the sound of the deep voice on the other end of the line.

"Ryousuke-san? Is everything ok?"

"Aa."

There was a moment of silence as Mitsu waited for him to speak further.

"Ryousuke!" She heard Hyobe's voice in the background, "Let's go they're ready for you!"

"Aa." She listened as there were sounds of movement on the other end of the phone and then it became much more silent, "I have to go. Get some rest Mitsu-chan."

"Hai." She answered.

He ended the call.

Mitsu stared down at her phoned confused. What had he wanted? She closed her eyes and tried to recall the pitch and tone of his voice, every word that he said. She couldn't recall anything that had seemed off… Except for the call itself. She replayed the conversation in her head again. And again… And again ………… And again……….

* * *

Keisuke stepped to her door and knocked on it, "Mitsu-chan?"

"Come in!"

Keisuke pushed open the door to see her just getting out of bed. His eyes widened, "You're just waking up?"

Mitsu laughed lightly, "Yeah." She blushed.

"Umm… Satoro and some guys are downstairs."

She turned to him with wide eyes to see him frowning, "That's Satoro's team The Redliners. They're nice Keisuke."

"Ok." He said and turned to step out of her room. He shut the door softly to let her get ready and made his way back downstairs.

"She's coming." He said as he stepped back into the living room where Satoro and three other guys were sitting on the couch all waiting. He crossed his arms and waited uncomfortably. He felt relief when he heard steps rushing down the stair and Mitsu came into view.

"Hi guys!" She yelled rushing into the room and each of the guys hugged her tightly.

Keisuke watched silently and carefully. When each one of them had hugged her and he noticed that one of the guys still had his hand on her back, he straightened and uncrossed his arms, "Let's go already!"

"Yeah!" Satoro exclaimed going over to his best friend and hooking his arm around her elbow, "Got your keys?"

Mitsu rolled her eyes, "Of course."

She waited for the others to exit and then passed through the door where Keisuke was waiting for everyone to get out. He shut the door after them and she waited for him to reappear after setting the alarm.

"Ok let's get out of here!" He exclaimed walking around to the side of the house where the cars were parked.

Satoro climbed into the SW20 with Mitsu, their three friends piled into the gun metal gray S13, and Keisuke got into his FD. He motioned for Mitsu-chan to go first then her friends. He would bring up the rear to make sure the non-locals didn't get lost.

When hey reached the highway, Satoro ventured to ask how she was. Mitsu shrugged, "Surviving." She said glancing at him and giving him a smile.

He didn't particularly like that smile, but he didn't comment on it, "What about Ryousuke-san?"

There was a brief pause, "You can ask him yourself tonight."

And that was the end of that subject.

* * *

Keisuke climbed out of the FD and his eyes immediately went over to the other side of the parking lot where the red FC was located. His sight zeroed in on the person he was most interested in. His jaw was clenched. She was going to be beaten again and if he had his way, Mitsu-chan wouldn't be the only one to beat her tonight. He shoved his hands into his pockets and looked like he was casually strolling over to where Fukotomi Mitsu was just getting out of her car.

"Ready?" He heard Satoro ask as Keisuke approached them. The other three guys also joined them.  
"Hai." Her eyes met Keisuke's and she gave him a curt nod. Then her gaze moved past him.  
The young Takahashi turned and he clenched his fists that were buried in his pockets.

"Welcome back Keisuke-san and Mitsu-chan." She gave a tentative smile as her eyes met Keisuke's cold stare.

"Thank you." Mitsu replied before glancing at Satoro.

"If you don't mind, we'd like to start as soon as possible."

Amaya smiled and nodded, "Of course. I understand." She knew he wouldn't be here. It was the smart and logical thing to do, but she couldn't help but to take a quick look around to see if by some chance he went out of character and had come to see the race. He was nowhere to be found.

She heard Keisuke snort and when she glanced at him he looked disgusted with her. It was as though he had read her mind and thought it ridiculous that she would think his Aniki would do such an illogical thing.

"Ok, let's get started." She said to Fukotomi Mitsu before she turned and walked back to her team and her car.

Keisuke turned to Mitsu who was watching him carefully. She stepped up to him, "Your Aniki wanted me to remind you to keep your cool." She placed a hand on his crossed arm.

"Aa." He nodded.

"Good. Ok I'll see you in a bit." She said and turned to walk to her car.

Keisuke followed her and joined Satoro by the SW20's driver side door. Both men watched as she strapped herself into the seat. She looked up at them and gave them a nod before reaching out and pulling the door shut.

Satoro and Keisuke stepped back and watched as the SW20 was started and slowly rolled towards the agreed upon start line.

"Here we go…"

Keisuke could feel the excitement bubbling in his gut.

"Go Mitsu!"

Keisuke turned to see Satoro and Mitsu's friend cheering slightly behind them.

"There goes the count down!" Satoro said to get them to quiet down." The three other guys joined them.

"6…5…4…3…2…1…GO!"

* * *

Mitsu watched as the FC didn't attempt to move ahead. So she wanted to watch her. Mitsu smirked, "Ok then. You watch." She said and pulled ahead of the FC as the road narrowed. She glanced at her tachometer. Ok. Her car was running smoothly. A smile came to her lips. The feeling of the engine pulsing tremors throughout her body, the power at the touch of her foot, the control at a flick of her wrist and the hum of the turbo spooling… Her heart pounded and if someone had seen her eyes at the moment they would have seen the fire burning there.

First corner.

She tried to control her excitement.

Down to Third… A little tap of the brakes… A little more gas… Quick shifting of weight… Perfect…

* * *

Amaya frowned. She was good. But really was that all she had! The battle against Takumi flashed for the briefest second in her mind.

_"I just did what Ryousuke-san told me."_

Was she holding back as well? How to get her to show her potential without going all out? The only thing she could thing to do was wait. Wait until they were closer to the finish and then overtake her. It would be quite a risk if she failed to overtake Fukotomi Mitsu at the final moments.

"We'll see if you're worthy to be with him."

* * *

"Ugh… Is this going to be a boring battle?" Keisuke asked looking over at Satoro. Judging from the start, it looked like a really conservative race…

"Well… I've never seen Mitsu to take it easy on anyone before. And considering she hasn't raced in a long time, I don't think she'll keep this pace for very long. But she won't do anything rash either."

"Mitsu has never failed to entertain though." One of the guys said as the three friends joined them.

"So how long have you guys known each other?"

"Since we were like eight years old."

"Yeah for some reason she didn't have many friends that were girls when she was younger." Another guys said, "So she was always tagging along with Satoro." He laughed.

"And we used to try and get away from her."

Satoro laughed, "But she was very persistent."

"And she had cute girl friends." The guy that had had his hands on Mitsu earlier said.

Keisuke watched their exchange quietly.

Suddenly his eyes darted across the parking lot towards the Kamekaze racers as they started to talk among themselves.

"The SW20 made it's move!" They heard someone yell.

The five guys exchanged glances. All of them smiled.

* * *

Amaya watched as the white SW20 suddenly changed its driving style and flew into the coming corner. Her eyes widened as she made eye contact with her. Fukotomi Mitsu smiled at her then turned away and accelerated out of the corner. Amaya stepped on the gas and flew into the corner but Mitsu was already clearing the next one.

"Geez! She's fast!" She was going to lose this race if she didn't pick up her speed.

* * *

Mitsu stared straight ahead. Her focus sharpened. The trees disappeared. She could only hear the sound of her car and of her own breathing and the power surrounding her. Before her all she saw was various line. Endless choices of lines. All thoughts and cares disappeared. There were only lines. Perfect.

* * *

Author's Note: 

Sorry for the lack of details. I'm running low on racing ideas.

Cheers,

CelicaChick


	29. Chapter 29: A Rolling Start

**Chapter 29 – A Rolling Start**

Hyobe walked out of the washroom toweling his damp hair before throwing it over his shoulders and making his way to the sitting area where his friend was staring blankly at the television set.

"What are you watching?"

Ryousuke turned to him, "Hmm?"

Hyobe frowned and sat down, "Do you want to talk about it?" He asked also turning to look at the television. He could feel his friend looking at him.

"No." He turned away and resumed looking at the television.

The news continued to play.

"They should be here soon."

"Aa."

"She was worried about you, you know."

That seemed to snap his friend out of his daze. He turned to meet Ryousuke's look of surprise, "Yeah, when she came over asking for you."

Ryousuke turned away again, "You didn't have to encourage her to follow me."

Hyobe's eyes widened, "She told you?"

"No. You just did." Ryousuke smirked.

"Well in any case, I think it turned out good." He saw his friend's eyes take on a far away look. He frowned. Something had happened.

Ryousuke jumped at the sound of someone knocking on their door.

Hyobe placed a hand on his shoulder, "It's ok." He said and got up to go answer the door. He was worried. His friend's calm, cool, collected exterior was cracking and he was a little scared to see what was underneath. He had a feeling he wouldn't like what would show itself. He pulled open the door, "Hey Guys!" He welcomed stepping aside to let them enter.

"Hyobe this is Arihyoshi Satoro, Mitsu-chan's friend." Keisuke introduced and watched at they shook hands. He then walked away and headed towards his brother that was just getting up from the couch to make his way over to them.

"Aniki."

"Keisuke." He acknowledged, "How did it go?"

"Great! Mitsu-chan completely pulled away from her!"

"Keisuke!" Mitsu exclaimed blushing.

Ryousuke's eyes floated onto her. She was blushing. That Aura again... He turned away and made eye contact with Satoro. He bowed his head in welcome, "Thank you for coming."

"I should thank you for inviting me." Satoro returned the bow.

"So what do you guys want to do?" Keisuke asked excitedly as he walked back from peeking out the window.

"You guys can go do whatever you want. Ryousuke here should get his rest."

Keisuke looked at him curiously, "That's usually Aniki's line." He glanced at his brother who shrugged with an amused look on his face.

He turned to the others, "So anyone want to go out and see the city?"

"There's nothing out there to see." Satoro supplied and turned to Mitsu.

"If its ok, I'm just going to go back to my room and-"

"Oh no you don't! You're not staying in tonight!"

"Satoro!"

"I'm not accepting a no sweetheart."

The young lady sighed, "Fine. What are you going to do then?"

"Let's go down to the lobby. They have a bar or club there I think." Keisuke said looking at the others.

"Sounds good to me." Satoro answered He turned to Mitsu who simply sighed.

Seeing that they had settled the issue of what they were going to do Hyobe walked over to the younger Takahashi and asked him the question he had been wanting to ask, "So how did Onichi Amaya look?"

Keisuke's excitement vanished instantly, "The same." He answered curtly.

Hyobe nodded. He took a quick glance at the older Takahashi then back to the younger one, "Was she any good."

Keisuke shrugged and looked over at Satoro who also shrugged, "Not as good as Mitsu-chan." Keisuke quickly changed the subject.

"Did you meet the driver you're racing with Aniki?"

"Aa."

"Is he good?"

"Aa. It's Takeshi Sai."

"No kidding!"

Hyobe laughed at Keisuke's excitement, "You guys should get going before it gets too late and then you won't be able to wake up for the race tomorrow."

"Aa. Let's go!" Keisuke rushed towards the door, "Bye Aniki!" He said and got out.

Satoro gave them a wave and joined Keisuke and Mitsu in the corridor.

Hyobe closed and locked the door before making his way to where Ryousuke had settled himself on the couch again to stare at the television.

"So it's gotten that bad has it?"

"What has?"

"I thought you were more perceptive than that Ryousuke."

The young man decided that comment didn't deserve to be answered. He reached for the remote and started surfing through the available channels.

Hyobe pushed on, "You didn't even say hello to her." He watched as his stoic friend continued to channel surf, "Why did you invite her here if you're going to ignore her?"

Still no response.

Hyobe sighed. He decided to confront the situation head on, "Something happened between the two of you." He heard the tv channel remain on one channel several seconds longer before it was changed again, "Did you have an argument?"

Silence.

"Ok. Probably not an argument since you obviously spoke to her and asked if she wanted to come... So..." He turned his full attention onto his friend, "Oh..."

Ryousuke flipped through a few more channels before he passed the remote to Hyobe, "I'm going to bed."  
He got up and moved towards the bed closest to the door.

Hyobe switched off the television and made his way to his bed, "I'm glad."

"There's nothing for you to be glad about." Ryousuke undid his belt and moved to step out of his dress pants.

"Of course there is. You're in love."

_-Thud-  
_  
Hyobe's eyes widened as he watched Ryousuke stumble back to his feet as he untangled and freed himself from his pants. He calmly regained his composure and gathered his pants in his hands to fold them as he looked coolly across at his friend.

"Don't be ridiculous."

Hyobe crossed his arms and stared right back at him. He watched as Ryousuke placed his clothes in his bag and pulled back the duvet.

"Am I?" He questioned unsurely. He had never in his lifetime seen such a strong reaction from his friend. He had only meant to throw out the comment to get Ryousuke used to the possibility. Judging from his unexpected reaction, he wasn't quite sure what to think anymore. Could he have already fallen for her and not know about it? Ryousuke never faltered, no matter what comments or questions were thrown his way. Why now?

"If you're going to sleep, turn out the light."

Hyobe ignored him and walked around his bed and to Ryousuke's. He sat down.

"What is it?"

"What happened?"

Ryousuke's eyes opened and made contact with him.

"I'll be honest with you Ryousuke. You're not acting like yourself. And although I take pleasure in trying to get you to show some kind of emotion, I'm worried that the reactions you are showing are due to something that is bothering you. We're best friends. I'm here for you."

Hyobe waited.

Silence.

"Ok." He got up and went to his own bed, where he shed his clothes until he was only in his boxers and his t-shirt, then climbed into bed and turned off the bed-side light.

"I will not marry her." Ryousuke's voice rang out in the darkness.

Hyobe heard the resolve in his voice, but there was something unidentifiable present as well.

"Do you like her?"

"That is not an issue. She's part of my family."

Hyobe sighed, "And if she wasn't a part of your family?"

Silence.

"I know there's a connection between the two of you. I can practically feel it. It's like there's a shield that binds you together and no one can penetrate it."

Ryousuke listened to his friend in stunned silence. Hyobe could practically 'feel' a connection between them? Was it the same aura he felt pulling him towards her?

"You're not making sense Hyobe. Get some sleep."

Hyobe sighed, "Just answer me this Ryousuke."

Silence.

"Then will you let it go and go to sleep?"

"Aa."

There was another moment of silence, "What is it?"

Hyobe scrambled to put as many specifics in his question as possible so that Ryousuke couldn't give him a vague answer due to some technicality.

"Let's say that given Mitsu-chan wasn't living with you, that her parents and yours had not signed a marriage contract and that nothing had ever happened with Oonishi Amaya, and that school was over and you were completely settled in life, which I know it's not, but let's just say that there was nothing going on except you and Mitsu-chan. All that aside, do you like her?"

Silence.

Hyobe waited. The room was so quiet. He strained to hear Ryousuke's breathing but heard nothing. Was he holding his breath?

Takahashi Ryousuke was staring at the ceiling in dead silence. His heart rate had increased dramatically he noticed. He had anticipated a personal question and thought he had thoroughly prepared himself, but now that the question had been posed and it hung up in the air, he wondered if he could bring himself to answer it. Answering would mean he would be facing the situation and facing it was not something he wanted to do. His jaw clenched angrily. He had always believed in facing everything head on and not letting anything escalate, and look at the situation he was in now. Then again, he realized, that none of this was in his hands, it had been forced onto him and he was trying to take control over his life. It just wasn't working. Things kept slipping through his grasp and everything seemed to come back tumbling onto him. The pile was getting larger and larger and the burden he felt was getting so heavy. He was starting to feel weighed down. Suffocating. He was tired. His eyes slowly closed.

"Aa."

Hyobe had been about to probe his friend when the one worded syllable was vocalized. He was momentarily stunned that Ryousuke had actually given him the answer that he had been wanting to hear.

"Ryousuke-"

"One question Hyobe. Good night."

He heard shuffling and when Hyobe turned to look at his friend, he found that Ryousuke had turned onto his side and was facing away from him.

"Good night." He said softly and moved to rest his hand behind his head.

Ryousuke had admitted to liking Fukotomi Mitsu...

* * *

Sometime in the middle of the night he awoke for no particular reason. The first thing he noticed when his eyes opened was the empty bed across from him. He raised his head and looked about and was glad to find his friend still in the room. Glancing at the clock he noticed it was barely past two in the morning. He sat up and crawled out of bed. 

"Can't sleep?" He asked as he approached the figure sitting in a chair by the floor to ceiling window. The light from the moon shone enough so that he was able to see his face. He looked exhausted but remarkably awake. Hyobe wondered how long he had been awake. Or if he had gotten any sleep since they had gone to bed.

Ryousuke turned to him, "Aa."

"Nervous?"

"No."

"It's ok to let it go Ryousuke."

His friend got to his feet then, "I'm tired. Good night." He said and went back to his bed.

Hyobe sighed. Apparently Takahashi Ryousuke was still unreachable.

* * *

Hyobe picked up the phone and dialed the first room number he had received, "Morning Sunshine!" He said laughing when the younger groggy Takahashi answered the phone with a grunt. 

"Wake up. We're going to go eat breakfast in the restaurant." He smiled at the affirmative groan then hung up and dialed the second number.

"Ohayoo Mitsu-chan!" He said cheerily, "We're going to be going down to the restaurant for breakfast, are you going to come?" He nodded, "Ok, in about 20 minutes? Good. See you." He hung up the phone and went to sit on the couch and turn on the television.

Moments later Ryousuke emerged from the bathroom dressed in a pair or khaki coloured pants and a navy blue sweater.

"Everyone is going to meet us downstairs for breakfast."

Ryousuke nodded and joined him on the couch.

"Did you get any sleep?"

"Aa."

"Doesn't look like it."

"You're over thinking Hyobe."

"You mean like you're over thinking what to do with Mitsu-chan?" He saw his friend's facial muscle tense up slightly.

"There is nothing to think about. I will not marry her." He turned and challenged his friend to contradict him.

"I've never seen you like this..."Hyobe said allowing his worry to clearly be heard.

Ryousuke turned to him, "You don't have to worry Hyobe. Everything will be fine."

Hyobe groaned, "Listen to yourself Ryousuke. You're the most logical person I know. Everything you do is for a reason. You do what is most effective, what makes sense. You don't let emotions cloud your judgment. But lately all you've been doing when it comes to Mitsu-chan is completely irrational! Think about all the reasons you're avoiding her. Is any of it rational? Or is it all based on emotions and pride?" his frustration was evident and he knew that it wasn't the way to reach his friend, but it had to be said before Ryousuke inadvertently made himself sick.

"It's under control Hyobe." Ryousuke said with finality. He was done with this conversation. He got to his feet, "It's time to go."

Hyobe got up and followed him to the door, "Under control? Look at you! You're starting to fall apart!"

"That's enough Hyobe." Ryousuke said sternly spinning around to face him.

The two men stood toe to toe glaring at each other.

Ryousuke was the first to break the contact, when he turned away, pulled open the door and left.

Hyobe took a deep breath and exhaled deeply to try calming himself. He stepped out of their room and closed the door before making his way to the elevator. Ryousuke was still there waiting. The elevator doors opened and they both stepped inside without a word.

* * *

Keisuke yawned, "Where are they?" 

"They'll be here." Mitsu assured giving him a smile, "So are you excited?"

Both Keisuke and Satoro nodded.

"Of course! It's Rotary Excellence!" Keisuke exclaimed.

"Here they come!" Satoro said.

Mitsu turned to see Ryousuke and Hyobe walk into the restaurant and head in their direction. She suppressed a frown. Something was wrong. She heard Keisuke shift and she could see from the corner of her vision that he had straightened in his chair and was watching his brother and his friend's approach.

"Good morning." Hyobe said with a tight smile.

Ryousuke simply nodded to everyone. The two men sat down.

Mitsu passed them each a menu, "Were you able to sleep well?" She asked politely.

Hyobe nodded, "What about you?"

She nodded and smiled before opening her own menu.

"So how was the club or pub?" Hyobe asked as he perused his menu.

"It was ok. I think they all turned in early for the race."

Hyobe didn't miss the smile and look Satoro had given to Keisuke at the last part of his answer. He glanced over at Mitsu who had burried her head in her menu.

"What time did you guys go to sleep?"

"Almost Two." Keisuke answered.

Hyobe looked over them curiously. Something had happened.

The waitress came at that time and took their orders.

Everyone was a little surprised to see that Ryousuke had only ordered a glass of water which he finished quickly after it arrived.

"Excuse me. I'll leave now." He got up and bowed politely.

"Wait Aniki! I'll come with you." Keisuke said dropping his chopsticks and pushing out his chair.

"See you guys later!" He said and followed his brother out of the restaurant.

They walked in silence to the elevators but once they were inside Keisuke turned to his brother, "Is something wrong Aniki?"

"No."

"Well it seems like there is. You and Hyobe didn't look very happy."

"It's nothing Ototou. You don't have to worry ok?" He said giving his younger brother a smile.

Keisuke wasn't completely convinced but he refrained from interrogating his brother. They took the elevator up to their floor then separated to go to their own rooms to change.

Ryousuke walked into the room and grabbed his already packed bag. He raised it to the bed and sat down beside it. Hyobe was right. He was a mess. He was trying to deny it to let himself believe he was coping. At the moment it seemed like the only way to fool himself into believing he was in control and therefore keeping his sanity.

The door opened.

Raising his head he made eye contact with Hyobe briefly before he turned away by getting to his feet and grabbing his bag. He placed it over his shoulder and made a move towards the door.

"Ryousuke." Hyobe put out his arm to block him.

"Not now, Hyobe."

"Ryousuke." He persisted, "Sorry I lost my cool. I'm just worried."

"I know." He gave his friend a small smile and moved around him and out the door.

Hyobe watched him leave and sighed. He shook his head.

* * *

Later… In the Paddock 

"Hi Mitsu-chan!" Sato Ichiro jogged up to her, "Did you have a good night?"

"Yes, thank you. What about you?"

"Of course I did! I got to sleep in!"

Mitsu laughed a little, "It would definitely be nice to be able to sleep in one of these days!" She looked about, "Looks like everyone is ready to go."

"WOW!"

Mitsu and Ichiro both turned to see Keisuke and Satoro gawking over the FD Ryousuke would be driving, while Hyobe started talking excitedly to one of the mechanics.

Ichiro laughed then his eyes widened, "Is that Takahashi Keisuke?!?!"

Mitsu nodded smiling.

The young racer's jaw dropped, "Do you mind, if I go talk to him?"

"No! Of course I don't mind!"

"Great!" He headed towards them.

Mitsu watched with a smile. Cute.

He turned suddenly, "Mitsu-chan! Would you mind getting Ryousuke-san and Sai-san, he's our other driver, from the changerooms?" He called out when he was half way towards the other Takahashi.

Hyobe, Keisuke and Satoro both heard the question and turned to see her response.

She cringed inwardly then gave him a short wave, "Sure." She avoided all of their gazes and turned to head towards the changerooms. Great...

Ichiro smiled. Perfect. He turned around and continued towards Takahashi Keisuke. He was looking at Mitsu's retreating form and only focused on him when he got closer.

"Hi I'm Sato Ichiro. It's great to meet you!"

Keisuke gave him a smile, "Takahashi Keisuke." He said and shook the man's hand. He refused to be awed by the young professional racer. Although inside he allowed himself to admit it was exciting. He felt his competitive nature flare up a bit as he mentally started comparing himself to him.

"I'm a huge fan!"

"That's an understatement!" A man hollered laughing.

Satoro chuckled.

"Anyway, I just wanted to meet you in person!" He nodded in the direction of the FD, "So how different is it from yours?"

Keisuke smile, "Well.."

* * *

Mitsu knocked lightly on the door. She could feel her heart racing nervously. She ventured another peek behind her and found that only Hyobe was now still watching her as he listened to the man he was talking with. 

"Come in."

She turned then and pushed open the door, "Hi. Ichiro-san asked me to tell the two of you that the team is ready for you." She said stepping partly into the room, "He would have come himself but he noticed that Keisuke-kun was here." She offered Ryousuke an amused smile then looked at the other man in the room, "Hello. I'm Fukotomi Mitsu."

"I'm Takeshi Sai." He introduced getting to his feet and bowing politely.

"Nice to meet you."

The man smiled then glanced at Ryousuke. There was something here, "I'll see you outside kid." He gathered his things and walked over to the door. He stopped beside Mitsu, "Don't be shy. Come in." He said urging her inside as he stepped out and closed the door behind him.

Mitsu turned to Ryousuke, "Are you ready?"

Ryousuke nodded but otherwise he didn't move.

Mitsu frowned. She made her way to his side and sat down, "Nervous?"

"No." He got to his feet slowly and turned to face the cubicle.

Mitsu grabbed his hand and stood up causing him to finally look at her.

That Aura... Unknowingly he had leaned towards her. Vanilla and roses. His lips brushed hers.

'You're in love' Hyobe's words echoed in his mind.

He pulled back suddenly. His heart was racing. He couldn't be...

Mitsu opened her eyes and saw worry in his eyes, "Ryousuke-san?" She queried. She didn't like what she was seeing. She removed her hand from his and brought it to his face, "What's wrong?"

He stepped back again and her hands slid from his face, "I have to go." He said and moved to her side to collect his gear and move to exit the room.

Mitsu watched him stunned as she followed him out. She watched as he strolled in that confident stride towards everyone and the FD.

Hyobe's eyes focused on the door of the changeroom when it opened. His friend stepped out looking like he always did. Mitsu was right behind him but she didn't follow him. He frowned as she stood motionless a moment watching Ryousuke head towards them. She looked... Confused? Worried? Hurt? He wasn't too sure. Then she turned and walked out of the paddock.

Ryousuke had reached them by that time.

"There you are! Ready to go?"

"Aa."

Matsushita Yukio turned to the crew, "Ok everyone, let's get moving!"

"Excuse me." The mechanic Hyobe was talking to said.

"Oh yes of course!" He then moved to join his friend, "Ryousuke."

The man glanced at him and nodded. All business.

Hyobe patted his shoulder and returned the nod before turning to Keisuke and Satoro, "Let's go to our seats guys."

Keisuke went up to his brother, "Get them Aniki."

"Good luck." Satoro added and the three young men started out of the paddock.

"He's serious." Keisuke exclaimed as they walked.

Hyobe nodded. Something caught his eyes, "I'll meet you guys at our seats. I saw someone I know." He said and broke away from them before they could say anything.

Keisuke and Satoro watched him dart away.

"Well let's go." Keisuke said and the two of them continued on their way.

* * *

Hyobe cut through the crowd. He was pretty sure he had seen her standing against the wall of the paddocks. He was right. Stepping past a few more people he had a clear view of her. She was leaning against the wall with her arms wrapped around herself like she was cold which was impossible this sunny day. He slowed his pace, "Mitsu-chan?" 

Her head snapped up and as she recognized him she smiled and dropped her arms to her side, "Oh Hyobe. Is the race about to start?"

"We still have time. They're just leaving the paddock now." He moved to stand beside her. He hadn't missed the fact that she was trembling slightly and her cheeks were flushed, "Are you feeling alright?" he asked concerned.

She smiled again, "I'm fine. Should we go?" She said moving away from the wall.

Hyobe shook his head. She was just like Ryousuke! He took hold of her arm, "What happened?"

"What do you mean?" She met his gaze.

He sighed, "Ok Ryousuke just played the same game with me last night and this morning. I wouldn't be asking if I wasn't concerned about you."

Mitsu's gaze lowered, "Hyobe-san... How good is Ryousuke-san at filtering out emotions when he has to work?"

Confusion filled his face, "He's pretty good. I've never seen anything affect his work before. Why?"

"Masuko Roku, and Oonishi Amaya affected his studies..." She stated.

"Well I guess that was a very deep injury he's been carrying around. Why?" He repeated.

"I... When I went to get him... I don't know... Hopefully he's ok... To race I mean."

"Mitsu-chan."

She turned to him at the seriousness of his voice.

"Did something happen? Is there something I should know before Ryousuke goes out there?"

"I…" She met his gaze, "Maybe you could just go talk to him and see if he's ok?"

"Ok. But is there something I should base on?"

Mitsu shrugged, "I don't know. He's been different since this morning." She met his gaze, "Did the two of you have an argument?"

Hyobe sighed, "We disagreed on a few things." He acknowledged, "But we cleared it up before we left the hotel. Come with me to the pit."

Mitsu hesitated, "Maybe I shouldn't."

"You're a concerned friend. You should come." He motioned for her to follow him as he stepped away from the side of the building. He continued to walk when he noticed her follow him.

They showed their passes to the security guards and proceeded onto pit road.

Mitsu passed Masuko Roku's team. He was already in his car and from the looks of it, he was very focused. Several teams later, they approached Rotary Excellence.

"Hey you two. Coming to wish him last minute luck?" Matsushita Yukio asked smiling. The team looked relaxed and prepared as Takeshi Sai settled himself in the FD.

Hyobe nodded smiling, "Where is he?"

"Back there." He motioned to one of Rotary Excellence's control booths.

"Thanks." Hyobe glanced at Mitsu to make sure she followed and they went to the booth. As they approached they could see Ryousuke was sitting alone in the booth staring at the screen of a laptop.

"Ryousuke."

The man glanced up and watched at Fukotomi Mitsu and his friend walked up the stairs and came into the booth.

"How's it going?"

"Fine." He said and turned to look at the screen again, studying the driving motions of the series point leader.

"You sure?" Hyobe pressed.

"Aa."

Hyobe turned to Mitsu who met his gaze. She nodded simply.

"Ok then. Do well out there." He said and gave his friend's shoulder a squeeze.

Ryousuke nodded simply.

"Good luck, Ryousuke-san." Mitsu said softly.

"Aa."

She turned away and started down the stairs of the booth.

Hyobe took one last look at his friend then followed Mitsu out of the booth.

"He looks ok." He exclaimed.

Mitsu nodded then turned to him, "Let's go to our seats."

The two of them joined Keisuke and Satoro in the stands. Although he seemed outwardly ok, Mitsu still had a strange feeling and she was worried.

* * *

Oonishi Amaya froze in her tracks as Hyobe and Mitsu-chan descended the ramp and walked away together. She turned to Ryousuke and a knowing smile adorned her face when she saw him turn and look at their retreating form. She couldn't see it but she knew he was in deep thought. Still smiling, she started towards him. His gaze turned onto her. 

"Hi Ryousuke-kun. I came to wish you luck." She said stopping at the bottom of the ramp, "Can I come up?"

"Aa." He watched her carefully. How long had she been watching he wondered.

"Are you nervous?"

"No."

Amaya smiled, "No of course not." She looked about the small booth before meeting his gaze again, "She beat me." She chuckled then, "By a lot."

Ryousuke turned to the laptop and tapped his fingers on the touch pad ever so lightly then turned to her again. He remained silent.

Amaya sighed, "While I was racing her all I could think of was 'is she worthy of you'." She smiled again, "And as soon as she pulled away." She laughed, "At that one corner when she became serious. She looked at me. In the middle of a drift mind you! She took her eyes off the road and looked right at me and smiled. She was happy." The young lady's eye took on a faraway look for a moment as she recalled the incident with clarity, "Then she turned away and took off. I couldn't catch her." Her eyes focused on Ryousuke, "Be happy Ryousuke. Don't let her slip away." She took a step back, gave him one last smile, "Ja." Then turned and walked away.

Ryousuke stared after her a moment. He shook his head. He didn't need all these distractions right now! He turned to the laptop and pressed the play button. Concentrate!

* * *

Ryousuke watched as Takeshi Sai climbed out of the car, "It's all yours Ryousuke-san." He patted the young Takahashi on the shoulder and gave him a smile. He too couldn't wait to see what the famous young man could do. 

Ryousuke nodded, "Aa." He went to the car. One of the crew members was standing by the door waiting for him. He climbed into the car and the man helped strap him securely into the car as the other three other crew members hopped back over the pit wall.

"Go get 'em!" The man said patting the side of his helmet and shut the door. He ran over the wall and jumped over as the FD pulled out and started down pit road.

"Here we go!" Matsushita Yukio said as the rest of the crew huddled around the monitors.

"Ok Ryousuke, we're sitting in 7th place after the pit stop. But we've still got sixty laps to go, so just take it easy and slowly make your way up."

"Aa." Ryousuke replied. He felt strange having someone's voice talking to him as he raced and even more that someone was giving him directions. It was yet another thing he disliked about professional racing. He had always been the one giving the directions and never the one to receive them with regards to racing and almost every other aspect of his life.

Until recently.

He pushed the thought out of his mind.

It felt strange. Like he had been dropped in the midst of a foreign country. Out of place.

With Takeshi Sai, Yukio had spoken a lot. He wasn't sure how he would feel or perform if Yukio-san spoke to him like that through out the race. He completed his first full lap, simply gaining ground on the sixth place driver, and realized then that Matsushita Yukio had not spoken a word since his start. He was grateful for that, it put him at ease and he felt he could race as himself.

He pulled up behind the first car and recognized it as a GT300 car. The driver made no move to block him and Ryousuke sailed by without any interruption in his speed. Once cleared he caught sight of the next car. This one was one of his rivals. He continued taking his own lines. Inching closer with every corner of the track, he quickly found himself in tight with the orange and gunmetal coloured Honda NSX. His foot lightened on the throttle as he felt his car get sucked into the NSX's drag.

Ryousuke waited.

Almost a full lap later he eyed an opening and with and effortless increase of the throttle he breezed past the Honda.

* * *

Matsushita Yukio couldn't stop smiling. He had not said a word to the young man currently on the track yet he was doing everything he needed to do as though he were reading his thoughts. He glanced away from the monitors to his side where Furotoku Ken sat also staring at the monitors. He too had not said a word. 

Yukio moved the microphone of his headset away from his mouth, "Amazing isn't he?"

Ken glanced at him and shook his head unbelievably, "Any chance he'll stay?"

Yukio shrugged, "You never know. Things change. I mean he's here now when we thought he'd never race professionally."

Ken nodded, "I'm hoping for another lucky break."

Both men exchanged another smile before turning their full attention back to the monitors.

"Check out his fuel level! We could possibly hold out a few extra laps."

"Let's see where we are in the field at that point before we make that call."

"Aa." He smirked, "The car seems to like him."

Yukio laughed but nodded in complete agreement.

* * *

Out on the track Ryousuke's dark calculating eyes were watching the motions of the Lexus SC430…

* * *

**Author's note:**

Anyone know if generally GT300 and GT500 drivers ever get involved with each other on the track? Or do they usually disregard each other during a race?

Hope you're liking the story. Thanks for reading.

Oh! I appologize for the format... I'm having probs with words and then pasting on FF. It's 2am and I'm just back from work so I'll get to it in the morning. I mean... afternoon... or sometime after I sleep...

Ugh Even I have a hard time looking at it haha.

Night,

Forever a CelicaChick


	30. Chapter 30: The Final Lap

**Chapter 30 – The Final Lap**

Hyobe placed his backpack on his lap and pulled out his laptop.

"What are you doing? Aren't you going to watch the race?" Satoro asked glancing over at the man who was now intently keying something into his laptop.

"Taking some stats on Ryousuke's performance."

Keisuke grunted, "Can you tell they're good friends?" Keisuke mumbled sarcastically.

Hyobe chuckled when he heard the comment, "Except I don't race."

"Why is that?" Mitsu asked joining the conversation.

"No talent in that particular area." Hyobe smiled, "Unlike you guys here." He gave her a wink. Much to his amusement, she blushed. Cute. Hyobe thought. He turned back to the race board and inputted his friends best lap time and his current lap time.

* * *

Ryousuke's eyes narrowed on the rear of the vehicle in front of him. 

There it was again.

A small alteration in steering.

The driver was having handling problems, he was fighting a very loose car.

Ryousuke hung back. His memory automatically recalled the driver of the Lexus SC430 and all the information and videos he had studied of him. From what he had seen then, he decided it would be better to overtake the SC430 at the exit of a corner or on a straight where the probability of the driver losing control would be greatly diminished.

Corner eight loomed ahead and beyond that a short straight. He hugged the preceding car into the corner. The rear slid out a couple of inches before being pulled back under control. Ryousuke swiftly counter steered into the corner and accelerated enough to push the front of the car to the inside. As the two cars exited, Ryousuke opened the throttle a split second sooner to push the FD ahead giving him an open track as they exited the corner. Adjusting, his steering he jolted forward and pulled out in front of the SC430. His recent competitor quickly forgotten, the FD surged down the short straight and swung sharply around corner nine.

* * *

"Yes!" Satoro exclaimed as Rotary Excellence's FD overtook the SC430 in the corner. 

Hyobe simply smiled.

Keisuke was shaking his head unbelievably, "That's Aniki for you…"

The only one who remained silent was Fukotomi Mitsu.

It was Hyobe who first noticed her lack of reaction. Turning to his companions, his brows raised as he discovered Mitsu still staring at the corner where Ryousuke had just overtaken his last competitor.

"You've never seen him race Mitsu-chan?"

The young lady came out of her dazed state to face him, "Pardon?" She looked at Keisuke and Satoro as they burst out laughing, "I'm sorry I didn't hear what you were saying." She blushed.

"It's ok. I was just asking if you had never seen Ryousuke race."

"Oh. No. This is the first time I've seen him." She smiled lightly.

"Surprised?"

Mitsu thought about that word. Was she surprised to see how good he really was?

"In a way yes." I expected him to be good since there's always been a lot of talk about his skill. But to actually see him in action is…"

"Scary?" Satoro offered.

"No. Amazing." She turned to her best friend, "Why would it be scary?" She asked confused.

"Cause he would run me into the ground as though I wasn't even there. Did you see how he overtook that car so easily?!?"

Hyobe and Keisuke laughed.

"That's my Aniki." He turned to Mitsu smirking, "Are you sure you still want to challenge him?"

"Definitely."

She turned back to the track. Ryousuke could be quite aggressive when he wanted to be. Driving styles were like windows to ones soul and therefore could say a lot about that person's personality. She felt a little confused at that thought.

This was Takahashi Ryousuke? The same man she was currently residing with and that she was b… She shook away the thought but another came over her.

_His hand gently cupping her face. _

His thumb stroking her flushed cheek.

And his warm lips moving closer and settling delicately on hers.

Undemanding…

Gentle…

"Mitsu-chan?"

She blinked and turned to the voice.

"You ok? You look kind of red." Keisuke voiced looking at her quizzically.

She choked, "Uh. Yes of course."

Keisuke's head tilted curiously, "Umm… Ok…" He turned back to the race.

Hyobe also averted his gaze back to the track. A knowing smile on his face.

* * *

"Yukio-san." 

Matsushita Yukio was surprised when Ryousuke addressed him over the radio.

"Hai."

"How far ahead is the leader?"

"A minute and twenty seconds."

"Are the four of them together?"

"The first two are. Third and forth are separated by two cars."

"Aa."

Yukio glanced at Ken.

'What do you think he's going to do?"

The crew chief shrugged, "He'll surprise us I'm sure."

* * *

Hiroshi Fumihiro carried several cans of soda and started passing them around to the people gathered in his living room in front of the television. 

"Do you guys think he can catch up to the Tachikawa and Takagi team?" Kenta asked as he stared at the screen.

"This is Ryousuke, we're talking about." Matsumoto replied.

"Aa. Anything can happen with that guy." Fumihiro added as he took a seat on the couch. He noticed the strange look on their youngest member's face, "What's on your mind Fujiwara?"

"Well… It's strange to see Ryousuke-san driving that car."

The others laughed but nodded.

"And he's driving differently."

"Aa. Ryousuke has many styles." Fumihiro replied smiling.

"Many styles?" Takumi repeated mainly to himself. He suddenly had an overwhelming need to race his team leader.

* * *

With twenty laps left, the FD was riding snuggly behind another NSX. Corner seven, the "S" curve, loomed ahead. The FD again swung out wide, the rear tires slid off the asphalt and initiated its drift. As the cars exited, the corner reversed. The rear wheels of the FD hit the asphalt, and digging in, lurched the FD in front of the NSX as the two cars righted themselves and entered the straightaway.  
Ryousuke glanced in his rear view mirror briefly before turning his focus ahead. Two cars, one obstacle and then he'd reach the leaders. Under him the FD felt strong, stable.

* * *

He was such a balanced racer. Mitsu thought to herself watching a replay of Ryousuke's overtaking of the NSX. Cool and patient when he had to be, and quick and aggressive when the time was right. She thought back on everything she knew about him, It was easy to recall the cool patient Ryousuke, but she had a hard time recalling an aggressive one. Then a memory hit her. 

_He took a step closer to her and bent his head to whisper close to her ear, "I'm watching you Fukotomi Mitsu. If you meddle with my family or my teams, you will live to regret it." He said in a low deliberate voice that sent a chill up her spine. The hairs on the back oh her neck stood on end as his breath touched her skin and his scent filled her senses. _

Aggressive. There it was. Just like his driving could be. She shivered.

"Mitsu-chan?"

The young lady glanced at Keisuke again and smiled.

"You sure you're ok?"

For someone who was supposed to be highly focused only on racing and his brother, Keisuke was very attentive.

"Yes." She stood up, "I'm going to get something to drink. Do you guys want anything?"

"I'll come with you." Satoro said getting to his feet.

Keisuke and Hyobe turned down the offer of drinks. The latter watched as the two friends left them.

"You know Keisuke-kun, your Aniki admitted to liking her last night."

The young Takahashi's attention snapped fully in Hyobe's direction.

The man nodded.

"Is that why the two of you looked like you had been in a fight this morning?"

"Not directly. I was pushing your Aniki a bit this morning."

"I can't believe you'd do that on race day!" Keisuke said starting to get upset.

"It had to be done. Besides Ryousuke wouldn't allow it to affect his racing. He's a professional deep down."

Keisuke calmed. He had to agree with that.

"What do you think about what I just told you?"

"About what? Aniki liking Mitsu?"

Hyobe nodded.

"She's good for him." Keisuke shrugged.

"Have you told him that?"

The blond looked at him confused, "Eh?"

Hyobe glanced at his laptop a moment then turned back to Keisuke, "It might be good to tell him how you feel."

"You think so?" He frowned, "What if he feels like I'm ganging up on him?"

"He won't. Not if you use what he's been trying to teach you." When his younger companion continued to look at him confused he said, "Patience."

"I don't know. I'll think about it."

"Fair enough." Hyobe nodded. He turned back to the track. The black FD was driving smoothly. A black monster coasting peacefully, reserving its energy. But lying inside he could feel that driven hunger, ready to attack.

* * *

"Mitsu-chan! Satoro-san." 

The young lady turned about to see Amaya and Roku walking towards them. She smiled.

Masuko Roku offered his hand to Satoro who shook it, "Good to see you again." He then shook Mitsu's hand, "Congratulations. I heard you were amazing."

The young lady blushed, "Umm. Thanks.."

"Ryousuke-san is doing really well out there too. This course really requires good acceleration and braking skills and he's… well yeah he's really dominating." He said smiling widely, "It's too bad I didn't get to face him. I really would have loved to."

Satoro simply nodded in understanding, "We should hurry though. I don't want to miss anything."

Mitsu nodded. She bowed her head politely at the couple before them and they went on their way to purchase a drink and quickly make their way back to their seats.

"We met your favourite people." Satoro said as they took their seats.

Keisuke looked up sharply, his eyes sharpening, "What did they want?"

Mitsu sighed, "Nothing. They just said hello and mentioned how well Ryousuke-san was doing."

Keisuke glanced at Satoro who nodded. That seemed to appease the young Takahashi and he turned back to the race.

* * *

"Ok this is it." Matsushita Yukio stated looking over at his friend. 

Furotoku Ken nodded. He couldn't wait. This was it. They had finally caught up the battling race leaders. His insides were twisting in anticipation and he couldn't help the nervous bounce of his leg as he continued to watch the television screen.

He turned to his partner, "What do you think?"

Yukio smiled, "He's got a damn good chance. Look how he overtook everyone else."

Ken nodded and they turned to the monitors again.

* * *

_Emotions make you more alert._

Ryousuke's own words to Keisuke last winter when he was trying to recruit Fujiwara Takumi for Project D echoed in his mind. Yes emotions did heighten the senses. But could he allow his to come to the surface? Would he be able to control them? Especially in this crucial moment…

* * *

Hyobe's eyes narrowed. The black FD fell back a few feet. What was he doing? With less than four laps left, the smart thing would have been to follow in close behind and let the other cars drag him around the track. Why was he holding back? What was he thinking? 

He glanced over at his companions and his eyes rested on Fukotomi Mitsu. The young lady was frowning at the large screen showing the front leaders. Obviously she was wondering what the heck he was doing as well.

Was it because of her? He recalled her words before the race. What had happened? Was this what she meant about Ryousuke allowing things to affect his racing?

He turned back to the racecourse. Damn it Ryousuke. Now is not the time for you to lose your famous impenetrable level of focus!

* * *

'_Engaged within one year and married within the following year.'_

'_You're in Love.'_

Ryousuke's jaw clenched tightly. His grip adjusting on the steering wheel. Shifting into a higher gear he stepped on the accelerator.

Traffic.

The leaders were surrounded in traffic. He had to make his way in there. If he allowed the others to get in the way, he could lose the leaders.

Turning onto the long straight, he pulled up next to a car that wasn't in his class, and hugged the bumper of the Nizmo Z that was closely following the number one positioned Supra.

He was suddenly jolted to the side. The FD slid sideways a few inches before Ryousuke gathered it back under control. He glanced to the side at the car that had been there and was now swerving out of control and off the track. He focused back on the Skyline Nizmo.

No call from Yukio.

The were still going green.

They neared corner one. Beyond the leader there was an open track. Behind him he could see several cars trailing closely.

The first two cars dove into the corner.

Ryousuke's gaze zeroed in on a hole left by the two cars. That surprised him. These two drivers should have been sharper then this.

Down gearing, He threw the FD into the first corner. The rotary engine roared to life. Strong.

Ryousuke allowed the car to slide over the curbside track. The inside tired hit the edge like a gutter.

* * *

"What the?!?" Keisuke got to his feet. 

"Whoa there." Hyobe grabbed Keisuke by the elbow and pulled him back down to his seat before the spectators behind them could complain.

"That's like Takumi-kun's gutter move!"

"Eh?" Both Mitsu and Satoro exclaimed shocked.

Keisuke nodded, "That move beat me and Aniki."

Both Satoro and Mitsu stared at him in shock.

Hyobe chuckled, "Well Ryousuke learned from it."

They all turned back to the track.

The three leaders were just exiting the second corner and onto the short straight.

* * *

Ryousuke continued to trail behind the Skyline for several corners, mentally checking off the number of corners left before the final straight. 

The last four corners had shown him a pattern. If the two drivers in front of him continued in this fashion…

_Bethroved._

Tension built inside of him.

They approached corner seven: The hairpins…

* * *

Satoro turned to his best friend when she felt her hand grip his forearm. She was staring at the large screen in anticipation. 

"Soon." She whispered without looking at him.

"Huh? You think so?"

Keisuke turned to them, "Eh?"

"Mitsu thinks he's going to make his move soon."

Keisuke looked at the screen then turned to Hyobe.

"I agree." Hyobe closed his laptop a moment and focused on the screen.

Just as he did so, the FD made its move.

"What the!" Keisuke wanted to jump to his feet, "What kind of line-" He didn't have time to finish his sentence.

The three of them along with the rest of the spectators watched with baited breath as the black FD sliced in between the Skyline and the Supra.

The Skylines taillights flashed brightly as it braked hard, but only for a split second before the FD's rear slid off the track again and to the outside of the front runner. The exit quickly became the entrance to the second half of the hairpin and the FD was now on the inside although still slightly behind.

"I can't watch!" Satoro declared even as he continued to watch unable to take his eyes off the scene.

The crowd began to scream.

The supra hit the apex of the corner, but out of nowhere the FD lunged onto the track and cut a path directly in front and hit a spot slightly ahead.

There was a loud gasp.

"He's not going to get out of-"

Satoro stopped and his mouth remained agape as the FD straightened and shot forward down the short straight.

TailLights on a black body lit up brightly as the brakes were quickly applied and the car thrown wildly through the 'V' curve.

"Wow!" People all around were standing and whispering loudly as the large screen replayed the move several times.

Keisuke and Satoro jumped to their feet and high-fived each other as they discussed the maneuver excitedly.

Hyobe smiled and shook his head. He looked up at his best friend's younger brother and Satoro. He laughed. Ryousuke's biggest fan. He looked across them to where Mitsu was remained sitting. The young lady was staring at the replay looking utterly baffled. His smile widened and he turned to the track.

Smitten.

* * *

'_Engaged.'_

'_You're in love.'_

'_Married.'_

'_One year.'_

With a clear track in front of him Ryousuke allowed his emotions to take over. His grasp on the steering wheel tightened momentarily before softening. His foot pushed down on the accelerator.

Corners and straights. One after the other.

Corner.

Straight.

Corner.

He threw the FD aggressively in each corner and smoothly down each straight. Cars on the track seemed to vanish. Stands, spectators, the curb, the cement walls, the fencing, officials… They all slowly faded from his view until the only thing he could see was the dark asphalt being quickly engulfed by the FD like a roaring black ghost with an insatiable appetite.

"YES! You did it Ryousuke-san!" A voice boomed in his head snapping the tormented soul of the FD out of the zone he had been riding in.

Takahashi Ryousuke blinked and slowed as he entered corner one. Looking in his side view mirror he could clearly see the black and white flag racers longed to be the first to reach, being waved energetically in the air.

* * *

Author's notes: 

Chapter Dedicated to:

Yuire: You know why.  
Sanae: For the Excellent website I checked out a few times for this chapter.  
A.Y.: For reading :)

Cheers to all and thanks for your support.

I watched a few JGTC clips of accidents... Thought of putting one in here... But didn't think people including myself would be too happy to see Ryousuke... uh... Well ... Yeah ... hehe

Ja ne!

Forever CelicaChick


	31. Chapter 31: Collisions All Around

**Chapter 31 – Collisions All Around**

Takeshi Sai couldn't stop smiling as he and Takahashi Ryousuke stood at the center upmost podium waiting to be presented with their trophies.

"In first Place, Team Rotary Excellence's Takashi Sai and Takahashi Ryousuke!" The announcement boomed over the crowd.

Rotary Excellence's team members could be seen jumping and cheering loudly below the platform that had been created for the presentations. Fans in the galleys cheered but their massive numbers made it sound like a roar.

A middle aged man came to present them each with a, polished to perfection, trophy.

He stopped in front of Ryousuke who was smiling.

"Amazing race Takahashi-san. We hope to see you in action again." He held out his hand as he passed Ryousuke his trophy.

Ryousuke accepted the trophy as he shook the man's hand and bowed courteously, "Thank you." As the man moved away, giving him a final pat on the arm, Ryousuke scanned where the crew members were wildly cheering and photographers were blinding him with their flashing cameras. He found the man he was searching for and waved him over.

Matsushita Yukio saw Ryousuke's request and smiled. He nudged the young driver to the front, "Go!" He said laughing. The crowd seemed to agree with him as members of the crew and members of other teams started ushering Sato Ichiro towards the podium. Once there he had no choice but to accept Sai and Ryousuke's hand up onto the uppermost platform. Amidst his joyous smile, he blushed as they shook his hand.

"Ichiro-san."

The young man turned to the racer he respected tremendously. His eyes widened in shock as Takahashi Ryousuke held out the trophy with both his hands in an offering motion. The man bowed and glanced up to meet his eyes in complete seriousness.

"Arigato Sato Ichiro." Ryousuke fell into another bow.

"I… I…"

Cameras began flashing wildly out of control.

"I can't accept this."

"Please." Ryousuke said with a smile.

Ichiro couldn't believe his ears. His hand tentatively reached out for the trophy but instead of grasping it and holding it, he held and pushed it back in Ryousuke's hand, "I'll share it with you."

Ryousuke looked up at him and Ichiro smiled.

He bowed in return, "Thank you for showing me what racing could be like Ryousuke-san." When he straightened the two men looked at each other smiling and turned to the crowd lifting the trophy together.

"What about me?" Takeshi Sai exclaimed pretending to be hurt as he stepped up behind the two.

Ichiro laughed, "No one can forget you!" He said and placed his arm around his teammate's shoulders.

Ryousuke watched them with a smile. He turned back to the crowd below and his eyes swept over Hyobe who was smiling widely at him and nodded. Satoro and Keisuke were still cheering like little kids. He shook his head.

Finally his eyes landed on her.

His smile vanished slightly.

Fukotomi Mitsu offered him a smile.

He blinked and looked away, the smile coming back across his face.

The ever-observant Hyobe looked over at the young lady. Her smile was gone. He squeezed his way past the excited Satoro and Keisuke, "Hey." He said nudging her.

Mitsu turned to him the smile returning, "He did great didn't he?"

Hyobe nodded. So that's how she wanted it to be… It was time for some more intervention.

* * *

Later in the Paddock... 

"You guys go back to the hotel first. I'll meet you there when I'm done."

"Ok, hurry up though. We're waiting for you before we go for lunch."

Ryousuke nodded.

"Ok. Ja." Keisuke gave a curt wave and turning to go, the others followed him.

He watched them leave a moment then sighed.

It was over.

Shifting the helmet into his other hand he walked into the change rooms.

Sai gave him a smile as he entered, "So that girl…" he tried to recall the name, "Uh Mitsu-chan was it?"

Ryousuke placed his things on the shelf, "Aa." He started unzipping his suit.

"Your girlfriend?"

"No."

"Really? Hmm…"

The young man looked over at the veteran briefly as he continued to change.

Sai chuckled, "She's cute. Single?" He smiled when his one time teammate nodded, "You should ask her out."

Ryousuke didn't say anything as he gathered his things. There was a strange feeling in his chest, which he tried to ignore.

"Unless you're seeing someone already?"

"No."

"Great. Ask her out."

"Not interested." Came the reply as the young man moved towards the back of the room where the showers were located.

Sai watched him curiously. Even though he had raced approximately two thirds of the race, the young man walked with an ease that made him look like he had an insurmountable amount of energy left. That combined with his obviously female pleasing physical attributes, his racing talents, his intelligence and his status as a soon to be doctor, made him a formidable bachelor. How in the world did a guy like Ryousuke-kun manage to stay single? He shook his head unbelievably. His thoughts turned to the young lady he had been referring to. For that matter, how did a girl like Mitsu-chan remain single?!?! If he had been… Uh… a few years younger… Definitely. Yes. He would have definitely tried to date her. Being constantly drowned by the presence of race queens, a sweet, homely girl like Mitsu-chan, really made a man realize what he really wanted in a partner. He scratched his head completely bewildered. What an odd situation.

* * *

back at the hotel… 

"Mitsu-chan, could I speak to you?" Hyobe asked as they neared the room he shared with Ryousuke.

"Sure." She turned to Keisuke and Satoro both of whom gave her curious looks. They continued on towards their own room when she shrugged letting them know she had no idea what was going on.  
Meanwhile Hyobe had unlocked his room door and was waiting holding it open for her to enter.

She stepped into the room and he followed after her and closed the door, "Make yourself comfortable. I'll be right back." He disappeared into the washroom.

Mitsu stood and looked around unsurely. Her gaze skimmed over the two beds and wondered lazily which was Ryousuke's before she went and sat down on the couch.

Hyobe came out moments later. He gave her a quick smile as he sat down in the armchair next to her and grabbed the remote to turn on the television.

Mitsu watched him unsurely as he found a channel he was satisfied with before turning his attention to her.

His expression and body language had made a three hundred and sixty degree turn. He was completely serious. He watched her a moment unsure how he wanted to proceed. He didn't want to make things worst but he knew something had to be done. Now what was the best way to approach Fukotomi Mitsu?

Concern filled her face.

He couldn't help the smile that spread across his face, "Don't worry it's nothing bad Mitsu-chan."

"Is everything ok?"

Hyobe nodded, "Well I hope it will be. I just have to deal with two very stubborn people at the moment."

Confusion filled her eyes and she seemed ready to question him. But then, he knew the moment she became weary as she leaned further back into the couch.

He chuckled, "I see you have an idea of what I want to talk about."

"I'm not going to marry him Hyobe-san."

"I didn't mention anything about the bethroval." His brows were raised in amusement at the stunned expression that now marred her features.

He smiled. He was thoroughly enjoying her reactions. Obviously the bethroval was at the very front of her thoughts. And along with that line of thinking would be Ryousuke.

"You know, just because you guys are bethroved to each other it doesn't mean the two of you can't be friends. It's very obvious that you guys are walking on egg shells around each other or avoiding each other."

"We're not avoiding each other."

"So what is it then?"

Mitsu racked her brains for a convincing answer, "We're probably just not very comfortable with each other. Sometimes people just can't be close to certain people."

Hyobe laughed, "You and Ryousuke are not one of those people."

He held her gaze challenging her to say otherwise. It didn't take long for her to lower her gaze to her lap.

Getting to his feet he crossed the floor to sit beside her, "I can see how difficult this situation is for the two of you. But for your own happiness you should be honest with yourself."

She remained silent.

It was time to test her.

He turned to face her, "Mitsu-chan, it should be a good thing to be in love."

Her eyes widened and she opened her mouth to object but no words would come out.

Hyobe smiled. Priceless.  
"I… I'm not… I'm not in l-l-love with Ryousuke-san." She stumbled still too shocked by his declaration.

"Oh?"

She shook her head, "No! Of course not!"

Hyobe frowned, "Why not?"

She looked equally shocked, "What do you mean, Why not?" She shook her head, "I… I can't be. I mean… No… I mean I can't be in lo-…" She decided to stop, "No."

"You make it sound like a bad thing."

"No! I didn't say that. I just… No… It's not possible… I can't…" She frowned as her eyes took on a distant look as she searched her brain for possible answers.

The door suddenly opened and both Mitsu and Hyobe turned to see Ryousuke step into the room. There was a short pause in his stride as he saw them sitting closely together on the couch.

Mitsu jumped to her feet, "I have to go." She bowed politely and rushed towards the door.

Ryousuke reached out and touched her arm. She flinched away from him. His face hardened, "Mitsu-chan?"

"Excuse me." She said and moved pass him, pulled open the door and exited.

"Ryousuke turned to his friend, "Hyobe." He said sternly.

"We were just talking Ryousuke." He turned so he was facing the TV again and reached for the remote control to change the channel.

Takahashi Ryousuke's jaw clenched in frustration. He was in no mood to be confronting Hyobe again today. He removed his shoes and slipped on his slippers before going to his bed and pulling his laptop onto his lap to do some work. He stared at the screen blankly. He couldn't get the image of a distraught Fukotomi Mitsu out of his head. He typed his password.

Hyobe remained silently staring at the TV. He could hear the slightly rougher tapping of the laptop keys as his friend worked, "We're heading out in about 45 minutes."

"Aa." Ryousuke kept typing away. What had they been talking about? Why had she been so upset? He could hear Hyobe moving, "What is it?"

"I'm wondering why you're not going over there to go talk to her."

Ryousuke raised his eyes to meet his, "I see. So you've done something."

"I only spoke with her."

"Exactly." He turned back to his laptop and decided to shut it down. He placed it on the night table and then moved to lower himself on the bed. He rested his hands on his stomach and closed his eyes.

Hyobe smiled. Of course Ryousuke would know him the best. In turn, aside from his brother, he probably knew Ryousuke the best. And right now, He was probably going crazy with his thoughts. He turned about and lowered the volume of the television several degrees. He probably needed some much-needed sleep.

He would leave him in peace. For now anyway…

Unknown to him, that Ryousuke was far from falling asleep.

* * *

Hyobe pulled open the door, "Where's Mitsu-chan?" He asked as Satoro and Keisuke stood there. Ryousuke joined them at the door. 

"She refused to come." Satoro said with a sigh.

"Is she alright?" Hyobe asked since it didn't seem as though Ryousuke was going to ask the question.

Satoro hunched, "She doesn't admit to anything being wrong."

"Aniki, maybe you can try?"

Ryousuke glanced over at Satoro who nodded insistently. He gave in with a curt nod and moved pass them, out the door and down the hall to Fukotomi Mitsu's room.

Knocking on the door, he waited.

"Satoro I'm not –" She stopped mid-word when her eyes met Ryousuke's. Her face flushed, "Ryousuke-san…"

"Can I come in?"

She hesitated a split second then moved aside to allow him access to her room.

He walked in and stopped in the middle of the room. Turning around he watched as she shut the door and lingered there a moment before turning around to face him.

"Satoro-san said you didn't want to join us."

Mitsu nodded and moved to the small table in the corner of the room, "I wanted to study for tomorrow."

Despite all the warnings in his head, Ryousuke followed her to the small table and sat down in the only other available chair, "You shouldn't listen to everything Hyobe says." He watched as she froze immediately at his words. So it did have something to do with what Hyobe had said to her. And judging from her reactions to him when she saw him at the door and admitted him in, what he spoke to her about was certainly about him. He hoped Hyobe hadn't said anything close to what he had spoken to him about. He shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

_'You're in Love'_ Hyobe's words repeated in his head again. He swallowed nervously.

"It would be great if you could come out with us. Both Keisuke and Satoro really want you to come along."

She looked up at him then.

"I don't think it would be such a good idea." She replied softly as she turned to her books again.

Ryousuke's eyes focused on her slim fingers as she moved to turn the page. She was trembling lightly. He raised his eyes to her face and found that she looked quite indifferent. He smiled. Good but not quite good enough. He got to his feet and approached her. He reached for the trembling hand she had flattened on the tabletop next to her book. He grasped it softly and took it into his. She turned carefully to look up at him.

"Ryousuke-san?"

A hand reached out slowly and cupped her cheek. Soft. His eyes roamed over her hair, her clear skin, her lips… He finally met her gaze again, "I…" He stopped. What was he doing?

"I'm sorry Fukotomi Mitsu…" He said softly as his gaze lowered to her lips again.

Concern filled her eyes. Sorry? She curled her fingers around the hand he was using to hold hers captive, "Why? What's the matter Ryousuke?"

She had dropped the polite title, he barely noticed. His thumb stoked her cheek instinctively as he thought about the warm sensation that was passing through him. He bent down towards her, "Mitsu... Forgive me…"

She watched as he got closer. His lips settled on hers softly.

He heard her sigh softly and felt her lean up towards him. His body responded without allowing his mind time to think through his actions as his lips parted at the pressure. Nothing could prepare him for the moment her lips also parted. It was like someone had rear-ended him violently into the side of a mountain. His chest tightened at the weight but at the same time his head had gone so light he felt dizzy. His heart was pounding so hard he could hear it in his head. He broke contact with her and breathed deeply as he rested his forehead against hers, "Mitsu…"

"Don't apologize." She whispered breathlessly. She touched his cheek gently then moved to press her lips back against his.

* * *

They all turned at the sound of the door opening. Ryousuke walked into the room, "She'll be here in a few minutes." He said and disappeared into the washroom. The door shut softly behind him. 

Satoro turned to Keisuke and they shared a smile.

"Looks like you guys knew he would be able to convince her."

The two guys turned to him still smiling. Keisuke nodded.

"Those two have an amazing impact on each other." Satoro said.

Hyobe looked at him then turned to his best friend's younger brother, "Him too?" Keisuke nodded.

He looked over at Satoro, "Me too."

* * *

Ryousuke closed the tap with a sigh and watched as the remaining water swirled down the sink and into the drain. He watched the droplets of water fall from his face and into the sink, then glide slowly into the abyss. He shut his eyes briefly then looked up into the mirror at his reflection as he reached for the towel and dried his face. 

What was he doing?

He shut his eyes tightly.

Damn it…

Control… Control…

He looked at his reflection angrily. What control? Who was he fooling he had no control when it came to her… His grip tightened on the edge of the marble counter top. Long fingers turning white at the pressure, eyes shut tightly, Ryousuke fought his hardest to calm his body and his whirling emotions. Breathing deeply, he tried to quiet the screaming of uncountable war cries as his thought battled with each other.  
He was so tired.

* * *

The bathroom door opened and Ryousuke strolled over to sit on the couch by Hyobe. He could feel his friends scrutinizing gaze going over him. Fed up, he faced him. They challenged each other a moment before Hyobe chuckled and threw his hands in the air, "Ok ok." 

There was a knock at the door.

"That should be Mitsu-chan! Let's go!" Keisuke said getting to his feet and rushing to the door closely followed by the others. Ryousuke was the last one to his feet as he casually joined them. Stepping out of the room, he pulled the door closed and checked to make sure it was locked.

"So let's go find something to eat first?" Keisuke suggested. The others agreed.

Mitsu walked ahead with Satoro and Keisuke, while Hyobe and Ryousuke brought up the rear. They continued in this fashion once they were outside and walking down the city streets.

"So what are we going to eat?" Keisuke asked.

"Anything is fine with me." Satoro answered.

"Ryousuke?" Hyobe glanced at him. His friend simply shrugged and continued to stare at his surroundings.

"Let's go get a burger!" Keisuke said pointing to a fast food restaurant across the street.

"I'm in!" Satoro agreed.

Mitsu tilted her head curiously. She still found it surprising how quickly Satoro and Keisuke got along!

"What about you Mitsu-chan?" Hyobe asked curiously.

"I'm ok." She answered with a polite smile.

"Ok then! Let's go!" Keisuke said rushing to the next crosswalk.

"Sometimes it's really hard to accept that you guys are related." Hyobe told his friend as they followed the younger Takahashi.

After their quick lunch, the small group continued their walk through the small city. Mainly being led by the interest of Keisuke and Satoro. Mitsu followed along taking joy in whatever they saw fit to visit. While Hyobe and Ryousuke often hung back speaking occasionally but mainly walking together in silence.

Later in the day they returned to the track hotel to get ready for dinner. Taking several cars, the five of them car-pooled with members of Rotary Excellence. In one of the said cars sat Ichiro, Mitsu, Satoro, and Furotoku Ken. The young driver had specifically wanted to sit with the people in this car so he could get a better feel for the type of relationship Mitsu had with her so called best friend Arihyoshi Satoro.

"Here we are." Ken said parking the car.

"Finally! It took you long enough Ken." Ichiro teased.

"Just get out already."

The young man laughed and turned to the two passengers in the back seat, "Let's go."

Walking to the front of the building they caught up to Hyobe and Keisuke and two other crew members before they all entered the restaurant together.

"Pshh. Figures you'd be here already Aniki." Keisuke said taking a seat across from his brother.

Everyone laughed. The man being talked about sat unfazed with his arms crossed across his chest. As expected of such a large group, it took a while to get the food ordered and then to have the food arrive.

* * *

"Aniki could I talk to you?" 

Keisuke had left his seat and was now standing to his side. Nodding he pushed out his chair, "Please excuse us a moment." He said politely and the two Takahashi brothers walked away from the table and towards the exit of the restaurant.

Once outside Keisuke pulled out his pack of cigarettes and offered one to his brother who looked at it a moment before finally shaking his head.

The younger brother replaced the package in his pocket.

"What's on your mind Keisuke?"

"Well..." he shoved his hands into his jean pockets, "Hyobe told me you liked Mitsu-chan." He met his brother's cool gaze.

"Don't worry Keisuke. I haven't forgotten my promise." He gave his brother a reassuring smile, "Let's go back inside. Our food should be here soon."

Keisuke shook his head, "No. Not yet."

His older brother was stunned by this and that somehow fascinated Keisuke.

"That's the thing Aniki. I don't want you to keep that promise."

Ryousuke crossed his arms frowning, "That's for me to decide Keisuke."

"Don't be an idiot Aniki!" Keisuke froze after the words had left his mouth. His brother was standing arrow straight now, every muscle tense. He had never spoken like that towards his brother and never thought he ever would.

Ryousuke surprised him by looking away first. He stared out across the road. Silent.

The blond Takahashi glanced across the street at the people walking on the opposite sidewalk. Turning to his brother a split second he noticed his disposition had not changed. He didn't know what to say. He felt like apologizing but at the same time he didn't. His brother was acting like an idiot. A big stubborn idiot.

"Excuse me." Ryousuke's level voice sounded and he turned without looking at his brother and pulled open the glass door.

"Aniki." Keisuke called out but his brother didn't stop. He watched stunned. His brother was ignoring his call... The first time ever in their lifetime. A pained feeling overcame him. This wasn't working out like he had planned. He walked back into the restaurant and sat down in his seat across from Ryousuke who seemed engrossed in whatever Matsushita Yukio was explaining to him.

"Hey."

When he looked up, Mitsu was watching him, "What's wrong?"

He shook his head and reached for his drink.

His reaction worried Mitsu. She turned to Ryousuke. Did something happen between them?

"Why did you order food if you're going to stare at him all day?"

Mitsu blinked. She had been so wrapped up in her thoughts, her food had arrived and was sitting steaming in front of her. She glanced at Satoro, "Funny." She shook her head and picked up her knife and fork to cut the steak.

* * *

Unlocking the door to the house, Ryousuke stepped inside and removed his shoes before sliding his feet into a pair of white slippers. With his bag over his shoulder he made his way upstairs to his room. It had been such a long day. The train ride back had felt long. Having Keisuke in the seat next to his and Hyobe's, talking happily with Mitsu and Satoro and not badgering him with questions was excruciating. Then when he had taken a cab with Hyobe, he knew his friend was restraining himself from asking about Keisuke. He was glad but it was still tiring to feel that curiousity being directed from someone so close to him. It's easy to ignore people you didn't know. It's harder to ignore those that are important to you. 

He entered his room and shut the door softly. Walking over to his desk he placed his book bag on the chair and went to his bed to put down his bag. He looked around briefly and let out a sigh. Walking back to his desk he grabbed his car keys and marched out of the room again and down the staircase.

"Ryousuke can we see you in the study for a moment please."

Stopping in his tracks he saw his mother standing at the entrance to the living room. This was going to happen sooner than he had expected. Well in a way he could get it out of the way sooner. He nodded and followed her through the living room and to the office his parents shared. As expected his father was already there. The man was standing with his hands held behind his back staring out the large window. He turned to face them when he heard the door open and close.

He smiled softly, "Have a seat son."

Ryousuke wanted to refuse but his upbringing compelled him to walk over to the black leather armchair and sit down. He pretended not to watch as his mother came to sit down in the chair beside him. His father in the meantime had come around to the front of the desk and leaned on the edge of the dark mahogany wood. All emotions disappeared from his countenance as the walls guarding his emotions solidified with every passing second of silence.

Fujimaro reached back for something on his desk, "Here." He held out a CD.

Ryousuke looked at the disk then back at his father before accepting it.

"One of our co-workers called us at work and told us you were racing today." Fujimaro halted but when his son remained silent he nodded and continued, "So we came back home to watch you make your professional debut."

"You did great." Emi exclaimed proudly and reached out to put a hand on his arm. She was disappointed when her son only gave her a curt nod.

There was a pause and when Takahashi Fujimaro realized his son wasn't going to say anything he spoke again, "How is school?" He asked to change the subject.

School. So this is what this was about? His parents wanted to know what he was going to do about school…

"Fine."

"I see." Fujimaro crossed his arms and studied his son carefully. He debated asking him what he was planning to do with his life. He could see that stubborn streak he hadn't seen since Ryousuke was a very young child. It glimmered in his eldest son's eyes. He nodded. He had always known Ryousuke could be stubborn. He had been surprised when that stubbornness as a child one day suddenly disappeared and he had become ever so obedient. He had been impressed by the maturity his son had shown as had been all the people that he had been introduced to. He hoped that this wasn't the first sign of a rebellious stage Ryousuke had failed to go through as a teenager. He sighed then turned to his wife.

"Are you going out tonight?" Emi asked casually remembering that her son had been making his way to the door when she had stopped him.

"Aa."

She smiled, "Well then we won't keep you. We just wanted to congratulate you and give you the DVD of your race."

Her son nodded and stood up. He stepped around the chair and bowed politely to his parents, "Excuse me." He said and turned to leave.

"Dear?"

He stopped and glanced back at his parents.

Takahashi Emi smiled, "Be careful and please don't stay out too late."

"Aa." Ryousuke turned and quietly left the room.

Emi stood up and walked over to her husband. She passed her fingers through his hair, "What are you thinking now?"

"He had that look Keisuke often gets."

Emi laughed, "He did, didn't he. Just like when he was a baby."

Fujimaro nodded, "That's what I was thinking too." He sighed, "I hope he doesn't give up all he's achieve so far."

"He needs time Sweetheart." She wrapped her arms around him lovingly and her husband leaned into her embrace.

* * *

He sighed a moment relishing in the rotary sound that vibrated through his exhausted body. He smirked with closed eyes. Like a drug addict getting his fix. He reved the engine again and opened his eyes. Putting the car into reverse he pulled away from the parked FD and proceeded down the driveway and away from everything. The further he could get from here the better. That intense look in the eyes of his father. He had wanted to ask something but had refrained from doing so. Why? Ryousuke was sure he wanted to ask more about school, about what he planned to do about medical school. If he was going to turn to professional racing. But he didn't ask the question. Why was he holding back all of a sudden?  
He accelerated. He needed to get out of here. Fast.

* * *

He made his way down the stairs and looked around. No one in sight. Walking over to the double oak doors, he slipped into his shoes and quietly opened the door and stepped out of the house. Locking it behind him he jogged towards the FD and climbed in. He had to hurry he thought as he pulled out of the driveway and onto the road. The FC was no where in sight. Akagi. He stepped on the accelerator. He was nearly there when a thought occurred to him. His brother hadn't gone to Akagi the last time he wanted to be alone… He wanted to curse. For some reason his Aniki had been going 'there' lately. He turned the FD around.

* * *

"There goes Keisuke." Mitsu said turning to her best friend. 

"What do you think is going on?"

Mitsu shrugged. Whatever it was she hopped the brothers would settle their differences, "Hey let's go for a drive."

Satoro looked up at her smiling, "Not tired?"

"Nope. How can I be after watching that race this morning!"

The young man chuckled, "Ok let's go."

Grabbing her keys and her jacket the two of them also left the house.

"Akagi?"

Mitsu nodded, "It's my new home course afterall."

"Yeah." He glanced out the window. Was she hoping to catch up with the Takahashi brothers by coming here?

It didn't take long for them to reach the summit. No Redsuns. And no Takahashi Brothers. But the lot wasn't empty.

"Who are they?"

"Don't know." She parked the car. There were three cars parked several stalls away. Four guys stood around talking and watching them.

"I wonder who they are."

"Only one way to find out." She smiled at him and got out of his car.

"Mitsu… I don't think…"

"I want to."

Satoro relented. When she made up her mind like that there was little he could do to convince her otherwise. The best he could do was to help her achieve whatever she planned to do. He followed her as she walked to the other side of the parking lot.

"Good evening." She said smiling.

"Well hello there." One of the guys said stepping towards her.

Satoro took a protective step closer to her.

The man noticed and kept his distance.

"Are you waiting for someone?"

The man nodded, "The Redsuns are known to practice here. Waiting for them to show up."

"I think they have the day off. Or usually they would have been here by now."

The man's brow quirked up, "Is that so?" He turned to his three friends who shrugged. He turned back to the two strangers before him, "You guys know the Redsuns?"

"Not really." Mitsu shrugged, "Were you guys planning to challenge them?"

"Possibly." He turned to the others, "Let's go."

The four men turned to go to their cars.

"Since you're already here, would one of you like to have a friendly downhill battle?"

All four men turned to her surprised. They exchanged looks then laughed. The same man spoke again, "Sorry but we don't have time to play with girls."

Mitsu's eyes narrowed.

Seeing her tense up, Satoro touched her arm, "Let's go."

"Is it because you're afraid?"

Satoro sighed. Great. Just great…

The man took a step closer to her. He nodded towards the SW20, "Is that yours."

She nodded.

"And you think you can keep up with my GT-R?" He asked laughing.

Shrugging, "Want to find out?" She smiled.

The man studied her a moment. Confident but not cocky. She was serious. He looked over at his friends again.

"We have nothing better to do."

He smiled, "Ok little lady. You're on. But first," He held out his hand, "I'm Ashida Ryuu."

"Fukotomi Mitsu."

The man turned to her friend.

"Arihyoshi Satoro." They shook hands.

"Lets get started." Mitsu said excitedly. She saw surprise fill the man's face at her enthusiasm.

"Ok." He walked back to his car and Mitsu and Satoro rushed back the SW20.

"You realize that you just challenged someone and you have no idea who they are and how good they are?"

"Aa."

Satoro watched as she climbed into the driver's seat.

"You don't mind waiting for me?"

He shook his head, "Good luck and be careful."

Mitsu smiled and nodded, "I'll be back soon." Winking she closed the door and started the car.

Satoro watched her drive off to align the SW20 alongside the White GT-R. He made his way over to the remaining three guys, "Mind if I join you guys?"

"Not at all." One of them said as another moved to do the count down.

Satoro turned to the two cars. Through the front windshield, he could see that Mitsu had become completely focused.

* * *

Keisuke was driving up Akina when he saw lights heading down towards him at a high speed. His eyes narrowed and as he expected it was his brother's FC. It came charging around the corner and without slowing down zoomed past him. Keisuke sighed. His brother hadn't even acknowledged him. He decided to continue to the top of Akina and hope that Ryousuke would come back up. From the looks of his driving he didn't seem like he was quite ready to go home yet. He pulled into the parking lot by the lake and got out of the FD. Pulling out a cigarette he looked out at the quiet lake. It was hard to believe in this peace and quiet that so many things were happening at this very moment. He pulled out a cigarette and proceeded to light it. It felt like he hadn't had one of these in a long time. He looked around. Empty. Maybe that was why his Aniki liked to come here. Those Speedstar members never seemed to be around when he came here. If they had been on Akagi, the atmosphere would have been different. 

The dead silence of the park shook as the FC's engine filled the air as it came into view. It turned and looked like it was going to head back down the mountain. Keisuke watched as it idled there with its driver staring straight ahead. Then suddenly it was turned off and Ryousuke stepped out and walked towards him.  
He stood at a distance and met his younger brother's gaze.

"Go home Keisuke." He said and turned again.

"Aniki! Listen we have to talk." He threw down his cigarette and rushed after his brother. Stepping in front of him to block his way, "Why are you being like this?"

He saw his older brother's eye narrow. He had never seen that look before. And for once he felt like he didn't know his brother at all. Dangerous. He stood his ground stubbornly.

* * *

Mitsu didn't push herself going into the first corner. Satoro was right she had no idea what to expect from this guy. It was rather impulsive of her. That surprised her but she simply wanted to feel the power under her and the G-force working on her body as she launched the car into the corners in the heat of a battle. She had been anxious to get back to her car all day after watching the race this morning. 

She switched into second gear as she tapped the breaks and accelerated through the next corner giving the GT-R enough space. For the moment. His driving was pretty stable but nothing close to Project D's level. Maybe the Redsuns but not Ryousuke-san's elite team.

* * *

"Don't concern yourself Keisuke." The voice was firm. 

"Why not? I'm your brother! You're always so concerned about me, why can't I be concerned about you?"

"These are things you don't understand so let it go."

The younger brother smirked, "So then make me understand Aniki! I just think you should do what makes you happy! If you like her then be with her! And since when do you give up so easily? Since when have you become a quitter?" The last part said in disgust. He couldn't believe this was his most admired brother.

Something flickered across Ryousuke's face. He stepped towards his brother. He saw that angry look in his eyes. Keisuke's eyes had always been the windows to his feelings. He felt his chest tightened. No matter what, he was still is little brother. He turned and walked past him to the FC.

"Aniki!" Keisuke started after him again. He cursed when his cell phone rang. Who ever was calling him… He frowned when he saw Satoro's number on the caller ID, "Satoro?" He answered surprised.

* * *

Mitsu followed the GT-R into the tight corner, before rocking the SW20 the outside. She felt the rear tires start to regain their grip and accelerated forward and out of the corner in front. She saw the surprised look on the other driver's face. Straightening out she quickly resumed her speed and prepared to enter the next corner. She was surprised to see the GT-R still following her quite closely. Then realized he must be copying her lines exactly. Well she could change that easily. Hitting the brakes and gearing down the SW20 flew into the corner changing her lines mid-drift. Suddenly she was jolted to the side. Her right hand slipped pushing the steering wheel to the left along with her body. 

If she could do this, so could he. He had only to copy her lines exactly. Ashida Ryuu curse as his car slid outward. His eyes widened as his car moved towards the small SW20 and rammed its side with it's left front end. He watched horrified as the tail end of the white Toyota spun completely around and smashed against the mountain side in a loud sheering sound of metal and screeching tires. Already the smell of melting rubber filled the cockpit of his car as he came to an abrupt stop and threw off the restraints. He jumped out of the car and ran over to the mangled white Toyota. The driver's side door was caved in and it looked like the other side was just as bad as it lay dead, pasted to the the rocky mountain side of Akagi.

* * *

Maybe it was the way Keisuke was surprised to hear from Satoro, but in either case, Ryousuke had paused when his brother answered his cell phone. 

"WHAT!?! Which one?"

Ryousuke turned about to look at his brother who had gone completely pale. His stomach dropped.

"We're on our way!" Keisuke shut the phone. And looked at his brother, "We have to go. Mitsu-chan was in an accident on –"

He didn't finish. Ryousuke had already turned and was running to his car.

"She's at Father's Clinic!" He yelled, "Argh!" Keisuke ran back to his FD and was rushing after his brother as he tried to strap the restraints on.

* * *

The Takahashi Brothers and Satoro were waiting impatiently in the waiting room when Doctor Yamamoto Katsu approached them. He recognized Keisuke right away, the man beside him he suspected was Takahashi-sama's eldest son and the third man there, he wasn't too sure what his relationship with Mitsu-chan was. 

"Keisuke-san and I presume Takahashi Ryousuke?"

The dark haired young man nodded.

"I'm sorry and you are?"

"Arihyoshi Satoro. She's my best friend. How is she?" He asked abruptly.

"She'll be fine. Quite sore with a few scratches and bruises but otherwise she's ok. She needs rest."

"Can we see her?" Keisuke asked.

"Sure. Right this way." He led the three young men down a quiet corridor, "Has Takahashi-sama been contacted?"

"Hai. They're both on their way."

"Good. Here we are." He stopped beside the door, "Take your time." He gave them a smile before moving away.

Satoro and Keisuke walked straight into the room followed by Ryousuke.

Satoro rushed to his best friend's side and started looking her over.

"I'm ok Satoro." She tried to assure him. She glanced over at Keisuke and rolled her eyes.

"Mitsu-chan, you look awful." He said shaking his head as soon as he saw her bandaged hand, the tensor bandaged ankle and the strip of gauze taped to the corner of her forehead.

"Thanks Keisuke-kun." She smiled weakly. Her gaze moved to the side of him where Ryousuke was standing slightly behind. Their eyes met.

"Excuse me." He said softly.

Keisuke and Satoro both immediately turned at the tone of his voice, to see Ryousuke bow his head before turning and exiting the room.

"Uh... I'll be back." Keisuke said turning to the other two people in the room.

Satoro nodded while Mitsu silently looked on with worry.

Keisuke pulled open the door and stepped into the hallway, "Aniki?" He called as he saw his brother only a few meters away from the room walking away at an oddly slow pace, "Are you ok?" He went after him.

"I'm fine."

Keisuke frowned when he heard that same soft voice he had used in Mitsu's room.

Ryousuke's hand reached out for the wall. He felt so dizzy...

"Aniki?" The younger brother reached out for him.

"I'm fine, Keisuke." He wanted to sound annoyed but his voice came out weak.

Keisuke was about to pull back when his brother's body suddenly collapsed, "ANIKI!"

* * *

Author's Note: 

Thanks for the feedback! And I'm glad the racing scene in chapter 30 sort of made sense. I hope! If not let me know, I'd love to know how to improve it and make it more realistic. Cheers!

Forever CelicaChick


	32. Chapter 32: Revival and Surrender

**Chapter 32 – Revival and Surrender**

Keisuke wrapped his arms around his brother and looked about, "Someone Help!" He yelled panicking. He looked down at his brother, "Aniki! Aniki!" He called shaking him lightly as he collapsed under the weight of his brother. They fell to the ground, Keisuke making sure his brother wouldn't hit the white sterile floor.

Several medical personnel rushed towards them.

"It's Takahashi-sama's son!" Someone declared, "Someone get a hold of him now!"

"Aniki!" Keisuke called again trying to wake his brother.

The man looked up at a frightened looking Keisuke, "Rei-chan, please take Keisuke-san to the staff room."

The nurse nodded and turned to the blond young man who was still holding on to his brother, "We've got him Keisuke-kun. Please come with me so the doctors can help him."

Keisuke looked up at the man that seemed to have taken command of the scene. Yamamoto Katsu, "What's wrong with him?" He demanded.

Katsu-san glanced at the Nurse as the orderlies arrived and he started giving instructions for Ryousuke to be lifted onto a gurney.

"They're going to find out. The best way for you to help him Keisuke-san is for you to come with me and let the doctors work." She touched his shoulder lightly.

He didn't fight her.

"Come." She grabbed him by the elbow and gently urged him to stand and follow her.

Keisuke glanced at her briefly then got to his feet. His eyes never wondering off from his brother until he had been wheeled out of his view.

"This way." The nurse gently led him towards the staff room. Never rushing him. The young man was considerably paler than was normal. She glanced back to where they had taken his brother and hoped he was ok...

* * *

Mitsu pulled off the covers wincing at the weight it posed on her wrist. 

"Oye! What do you think you're doing!? Get back in that bed Fukotomi Mitsu!" Satoro ordered as he tried to gently push her back onto the pillows.

"Something happened! Didn't you hear him Satoro?!? We have to help!" Mitsu struggled against her friend. The gut-wrenching cry from Keisuke had caused panic within her. Something bad had happened. Her body trembled violently. She could only think of the Takahashi brothers. Her wild imagination coming up with many terrible things that could have happened to them.

"We're in a hospital Mitsu. We're surrounded by the best people."

"Satoro please!" She stilled momentarily, "I have to see them."

The man sighed, "Ok. Listen. I'll go check on them, but you have to promise to stay here. In bed." He watched as she nodded quickly.

"Ok! Just go! Quick!"

He gave her one last look, letting her know he was serious, then left the room. Once out in the corridor he saw a group of medical personnel wheeling away a gurney and on the other side he saw Keisuke watching the gurney disappeared while a nurse spoke to him and lead him away. He rushed towards them, "Keisuke! What's going on?"

The young Takahashi turned to him, "Satoro…" He mumbled softly.

"What happened? Where's Ryousuke-san?" He looked at the nurse briefly then back to his blond friend.  
Keisuke shook his head, "Aniki… Aniki's…"

"The young Takahashi-san collapsed a moment ago. The doctors have taken him for tests." The nurse explained gently. She touched the blond man's back softly, "Come Keisuke-san."

Keisuke's gaze lowered and let himself be led away by the nurse who gave Satoro a reassuring smile before turning away.

Satoro watched grimly as the nurse led a distraught Takahashi Keisuke away and into a room. He had never seen the proud, vivacious Keisuke look like so. Shoulders slumped with heavy footsteps. He turned and rushed back to his best friend's room.

"What happened? Are they ok?!?" He was immediately interrogated by the young lady. He walked towards her bed. She didn't like that stern look on his face.

"Mitsu…"

"Just tell me Satoro."

"Ryousuke-san collapsed. They took him away for t- Whoa! Mitsu!" He reached out for her as her eyes closed and she swayed.

"I'm ok… Just a little dizzy…" She leaned back onto the pillows, "Keisuke?"

"A nurse led him away."

"I see…" She met her friend's gaze, "Satoro… Could you-"

The man raised his hand telling her to stop. He nodded, "Stay in bed. I'll be back as soon as I hear something."

Mitsu nodded. She watched as her best friend left the room again. Shutting her eyes she hope dearly that they were ok. Yes. He would be fine. No. He is fine. He's completely healthy. He's fine. She repeated to herself.

Ryousuke…

* * *

Katsu pushed open the door. 

Keisuke jumped up from the chair he was sitting in, "How is he?"

"He's fine Keisuke-san. Your Brother is resting now." He walked into the staff room and sat down in a chair facing the one Keisuke had just vacated, "Please have a seat."

Keisuke did what he was asked without a second thought. He was too worried about his brother, "I want to see him."

The doctor nodded, "I know you're family is very private Keisuke-san, but I really need to ask you a few questions about your brother."

Silence. Keisuke watched him suspiciously. He conceded and nodded slowly.

Katsu opened the folder he was holding and took out his pen, "Can you tell me what your brother has been up to in the past week or so?"

"What he's been up to?" Keisuke repeated.

"Yes. Like activities. School."

"Oh. Well school, studying, he runs the Redsuns and Project D, and well this week he was training with Rotary Excellence."

Katsu nodded, "I heard the staff talking about his professional race this morning." He wrote down the things the young man had told him, "Were you with him all day?"

Keisuke nodded.

"Can you tell me what you guys did?"

"Why does all this matter?" Keisuke asked getting impatient.

"Because something helped trigger your brother's collapse today."

Keisuke's eyes widened slightly, "Well umm… We woke early, had breakfast. Aniki didn't eat though, just drank some water. Then we went to the track and he got ready. He raced then we went back to the hotel for a bit before going into the city to have lunch."

"Did Ryousuke eat anything?"

"A little. Some fries I think."

"Did he drink?"

Keisuke nodded.

"Ok. What else?"

"We walked around a bit then went to the hotel to meet up with Rotary Excellence before going out for dinner."

"And he had something to eat and drink then?"

Keisuke nodded slowly then he stopped, "Well actually… Not that much I guess. I don't think he finished what he ordered."

"I see…" Katsu wrote something down in the file then looked at Keisuke thoughtfully, "Has your brother been studying extra hard lately?"

"I… Well I don't think anymore than usual?" he answered unsurely.

"Ok. What about sleep?"

"Aniki hardly ever sleeps or he'll nap whenever there's a break in training or something." Keisuke watched as he scribbled something else in that blue folder. He watched as the doctor then tapped the pen against his chin thinking.

"What?" Keisuke prodded.

"Well I really don't see anything out of the ordinary, if he's always led this type of lifestyle… Except for today's lack of nourishment and liquids…" he looked up at the young man, "Has he been under any kind of emotional stress recently?"

Silence.

Keisuke looked away.

"I see." He wrote a few words in the folder than closed it. He put his pen away and turned to Takahashi Keisuke who was now watching him, "I promise you Keisuke-san that whatever you tell me now I'll keep between you and I. It's important that I know what's happening with your brother so we can try and help prevent this kind of thing from happening again."

He waited patiently as the young man seemed to think over his words.

"Aniki and I… We had an argument today. We haven't really had one before. Not since we were kids… I… I think I really upset him…"

Katsu thought about that a moment, "Was there anything else?"

Keisuke nodded, "I'm pretty sure he had one with his best friend earlier today too. He was kind of weird at breakfast.

"Two conflicts in one day… Both with people he's close to…" Katsu thought scratching his chin, "Was something bothering before him before these arguments?"

Keisuke looked towards the door briefly. He glanced back at Katsu-chan then nodded slowly. Yet he still hesitated to say anything.

"Keisuke-san?" he urged.

"This doesn't leave this room!"

Katsu nodded, "It will not leave this room."

Keisuke nodded and sighed, "Last Sunday… We… He found out that… that he was bethroved to Mitsu-chan."

The doctor's eyes widened, "An arranged marriage?"

Keisuke nodded, "Aniki's not happy about it at all."

"I can't even imagine…"

The young Takahashi nodded, "A couple of times he didn't come home. Or if he did it was early morning before school. Him and Mitsu hardly speak to each other now."

The doctor saw extreme sadness fill the blond's eyes, "They like each other?"

Keisuke nodded without looking at him, "That's what I argued about with Aniki. He got upset when I brought it up."

"I see." Katsu got to his feet, "Thank you Keisuke-san. Come I'll bring you to your brother's room now."  
Takahashi Keisuke quickly stood up. Finally he was going to get to see his brother. They walked towards the door.

Keisuke stopped suddenly, "Katsu-sama."

The doctor turned to him suddenly, "What is it?"

"Please don't tell my Aniki I told you any of this."

"Like I promised. Nothing will leave this room."

"Thank you." Keisuke bowed politely.

Katsu only smiled, "Come. I'm sure you're eager to see your brother."

Keisuke straightened and nodded fervently.

Once back in the main corridor, Keisuke saw Satoro rush towards them.

"How is he?"

"He'll be fine?" Keisuke said glancing at the doctor who nodded with a smile, "We're going to see him now. Coming?"

Satoro nodded.

* * *

"Katsu-san. Takahashi-sama and his wife have arrived." 

"Aa. I'll go meet them." He closed the file he was currently working on, grabbed Takahashi Ryousuke's medical file, and quickly made his way to the waiting room where the owners of the clinic came into view.

"Takahashi-sama." He welcome with a bow.

"How are they?" Emi asked impatiently.

"Both of them will be fine." He assured them firstly. He saw most of the tension drain out of the couple, "Let's go somewhere we can talk." He led them to the staff room.

"What's the prognosis?" Fujimaro asked as the door closed leaving them alone. His face showed none of the worry he was holding inside.

Yamamoto Katsu checked the chart he was holding. He was glad when Emi and Fujimaro didn't pressure him to see their son's chart. They were indeed very admirable professionals even in emotionally distressing and personal situations.

"Mitsu-chan has a few scratches and bruises and a slight sprained ankle. She'll be sore for a while but otherwise she'll be as good as new within a few weeks. I'd like her to stay for observations. Ryousuke-san seemed to have just fainted. Has he been under a lot of pressure or emotion distress lately?" He asked pretending he didn't know about the existence of the betrothal. He watched as Ryousuke's parents exchanged looks.

"Yes." Emi answered finally.

Katsu nodded, "Both his potassium level and his blood pressure are quite low plus he's quite dehydrated and he's hypoglycemic. Seems he went in excess of his body's energy reserve. Otherwise he's physically in good health. We've started and electrolyte drip and we'll let him sleep until he's ready to wake up."

Fujimaro nodded.

"It may also be a good idea to have him take a break from whatever is causing him stress. It's probably a major factor for his breakdown today. The shock of Fukotomi Mitsu may also have had an effect on his fainting too since it occurred moments after I had left them to visit her." He closed the folder.

"Ok. Thank you Katsu-san." Fujimaro and Emi bowed appreciatively.

"We'd like to see them." Emi stated.

"Of course. Mitsu-chan is it 34A and Ryousuke-san is in room 11A."

The family thanked him again and he bowed to them as they left the staff room.

They decided to visit Mitsu-chan first and was surprised to find her alone in the room.

"Hello dear, how are you feeling?"

Mitsu tried to smile. She was still too worried about Ryousuke, "I'm ok. How's Keisuke-kun and Ryousuke-san?"

"Both will be fine." Fujimaro eased her, "Ryousuke simply fainted. He's exhausted and dehydrated that's all."

Emi nodded, "Do not worry. You should concentrate on getting better."

Mitsu could only nodded. She wanted to see him.

The door opened again, "Oh! Takahashi-sama!" Satoro bowed politely, "I didn't know you had arrived."

Emi and Fujimaro nodded.

"We're going to go see Ryousuke now."

Emi turned to Mitsu, "Rest Dear. We'll come back soon."

The young lady nodded and watched as the Takahashi's excused themselves from the room. She turned to Satoro who approached her bed, "Did you see them?"

"Aa. Keisuke's still worried and Ryousuke is sleeping. Nothing for you to worry about."

Mitsu nodded simply and stared down at her blanket.

"Ok time to get some rest now." He watched as she nodded again and closed her eyes.

Satoro went to a chair in the corner of the room and grabbed a magazine.

"Are you staying?"

"Hai. Sleep now." He glanced at her as her head slowly turned to the side.

"Mmm…"

* * *

_It was dark but it wasn't cold like darkness was often associated with. No. It wasn't cold at all. Then something emerged. Slowly walking out of the black that surrounded him. Two faceless shadows emerged, "Your wife…" The shadows said in a deep jumbled voice. He squinted and rubbed his eyes as the darkness seemed to merge into more darkness then at the center it lightened._

"Mitsu-chan?" The young lady smiled and took a step towards him. Out of nothing, a white flash that looked familiar, with engine roaring, whipped across his vision and completely obliterating what looked like Mitsu-chan.

He was engulfed in darkness again.

"MITSU!!!!" He yelled falling to his knees. His breath came hard. His heart was pounding.

"Aniki?"

He looked around. Keisuke?

"What did you do?"

Do? He hadn't done anything!

"Why didn't you do anything?"

He looked around. Where was he? Where was the voice coming from?

"You could have been with her! You let her go!"

"NO!" He yelled out spinning around but he couldn't see through the darkness no matter how hard he tried.

"Quitter! You're not my Aniki! Quitter!" The voice got louder and louder until he could hear it inside his head.

"NO!" He yelled out grasping his head, "MITSU! KEISUKE!"

* * *

The first thing he saw was something white. It was so bright. It hurt his head. He shut his eyes with an inner groan then slowly tried to check out his surroundings again. Tired. 

This wasn't his room!

His eyes opened fully. The hospital!

He sighed. Mitsu-chan was here. She looked awful. Leaving her room, he remembered feeling so dizzy, his vision blurred and was overcome with exploding little black spots. He remembered feeling the wall beneath his hand and Keisuke… Then nothing. Just the dream… He shook the memory away and looked about the room.

Keisuke…

His brother was seated in a chair flipping through a Motorsport magazine.

Ryousuke swallowed. His throat was so dry. He blinked and closed his eyes again. Tired. So tired…

Darkness engulfed him again.

* * *

The dream didn't come this time. He was glad. His eyes opened slowly. 

"Aniki! You're awake!"

"Loud… Too loud…" Ryousuke whispered hoarsely.

"Oh! Sorry!" Keisuke said a lot softer this time.

Ryousuke opened his eyes again. Keisuke was right beside his bed.

"Mom and Dad are on shift but they come buy every hour to check on you."

"Aa…" He looked about him slowly. Then moved to push himself to a sitting position.

"You ok to be getting up Aniki?"

No answer.

Ryousuke moved to reach for something on the table beside the bed.

"I'll get it Aniki!" Keisuke said rushing around the bed to the night table where the jug of water and a couple of cups were. He grabbed the jug and cup before Ryousuke could grab them. He filled the glass and passed it to his brother, "Here."

Ryousuke hesitated then nodded his thanks and took the glass of water. He sipped it slowly. The cool water stung his throat as it went down. He took one more sip then reached out to put it back on the table.

"Got it!" Keisuke said taking it from him and setting it in the table. He watched as his brother laid down again and his eyes closed.

"Aniki."

"Hn." Came the barely audible response.

"We need to talk."

No response.

"Aniki…"

"What?" The response was still barely audible.

"Don't be mad Aniki. Please…"

Ryousuke sighed, "I'm not mad." His eyes remained closed.

Keisuke groaned, "Aniki please! I just…" His voice cracked, "I…" He stopped.

That caught the older brother's attention. His eyes opened slowly and he glanced at Keisuke who had his eyes lowered to the bed and his hands were fingering the bedsheet. He waited and watched.

"I… It just makes me mad to… to see you suffer when you could be happy Aniki…" Keisuke said slowly.

Ryousuke looked away when his brother tried to make eye contact with him.

"I'm sorry Aniki." Keisuke said in exasperation, "I just… Lost my cool. I know you said I have to learn to stay calm… Sorry. I shouldn't have spoken to you like that. It's up to you what you want to do. I just want you to know, you don't have to keep that promise because of me. Because I can see that she'll be good to you."

The two guys were silent.

Keisuke looked at his Aniki when he heard him sigh.

His older brother turned to him, "Thank you, Otouto."

Confusion filled his eyes. His Brother was thanking him? For what?

Ryousuke laughed then stopped when he found it hurt his throat too much, "Pass me the water."

Keisuke turned to grab the cup and give it to his brother. He smiled as he watched his brother drink slowly. Things were back to normal between them. Just the way he like it…

"I see you're awake."

The brothers turned to the new voice, as Yamamoto Katsu walked into the room. He immediately saw the change in Takahashi Ryousuke as the young man's face became clear of all emotion. The fatigue that he had see on his face when he had first entered vanished and if you didn't know better, you wouldn't have known that he had collapsed almost half a day ago.

"I'm Doctor Yamamoto Katsu. How are you feeling?" He asked approaching the bed. He gave Keisuke a smile as the young man moved aside to give him better access to his brother.

Ryousuke watched carefully. What was this? Keisuke was trusting the doctor?

"Fine." He answered turning to make eye contact with the doctor.

Katsu smiled, "I just want to check a couple things."

Ryousuke nodded and watched as the doctor moved to grab the cuffs for the blood pressure machine.

The doctor wrapped it around his upper arm and started pumping.

"How long have you been awake?"

"Not long."

Katsu nodded and pumped the cuff. While he waited for the machine to give him a result he put on his stethoscope and pressed the end to Ryousuke's wrist. He looked at his watch. He glanced at the young man suddenly and arched a curious brow.

"Ok." He took the reading from the blood pressure machine and noted it and the pulse count down in the file he had brought with him, "Last thing. I want to take a small blood sample." He met his patient's gaze.

Ryousuke nodded and glanced at his brother who was watching quietly. He saw Keisuke's gaze follow the needle that he could hear Katsu-san ripping out of the package. He waited for the small pinch and as it came, he saw Keisuke's eyes widen just a fraction. He didn't look away. Odd. He glanced at Katsu-san then at Keisuke. Something felt suspicious.

"All done. Could you hold that there for a second Ryousuke-san."

The young man placed a finger on the cotton ball Katsu-san was holding down.

"Thank you." Katsu moved to replace the cap on the syringe. Then retrieved a small band-aid from the cupboard, "Let's take a look."

Ryousuke removed the cotton ball and Katsu-san applied the band-aid. He took the cotton ball from the young man and disposed of it in the special medical bin. He looked at the two brothers curiously. Neither one of them had said a word throughout his visit, "I'll let your parent's know you're awake."

Ryousuke nodded.

"Ok, rest up. I'll drop in on you again before my shift ends."

"Aa."

Takahashi Ryousuke waited until the door had closed behind the doctor before turning to his brother.  
"What?" Keisuke asked shifting nervously.

"Is there something you want to tell me Keisuke?"

"Not really…"

The older brother stared at him a moment. Keisuke had shown a small amount of trust towards Yamamoto-san, something he had never seen before.

The younger Takahashi tried to maintain his carefree gaze as long as he could, hoping Ryousuke would look away from him and change the subject. It seemed that he had no such luck.

"You've met Yamamoto-san before."

Keisuke's gaze wavered, "Oh yeah. Mitsu-chan got to follow him on his rounds on Saturday morning. Dad invited her to come."

"I see. And you got to speak with him?"

"Not really." Keisuke shrugged. He started to worry. It didn't seem like his Aniki was going to give up on the subject.

Ryousuke saw his brother's uneasiness. By now Keisuke should have figured out that he was onto him and that he wasn't going to be swayed from finding out what was going on. He smiled. But he could see that stubborn streak in his brother insisting that he keep trying to evade him even though in the end he knew he would lose and give Ryousuke the answers he wanted.

"But you did have a conversation with him at some point."

His brother shifted on his feet, "Yeah."

"About me?" It was the only thing he could think of for why his brother was hesitating to tell him about it.

"Sorry Aniki! I was worried about you! And he said he needed to know so he could help you." The blond blurted out moving towards the bed again.

"Keisuke, it's ok." He calmly said, "What did he ask you?"

"What you've been up to, if you ate or drank, if you were stressed, if you slept."

"I see." Ryousuke turned to look out the window. Those were all pretty standard questions. It seemed Yamamoto-san was attributing his collapse to exhaustion. He heard his brother shifting about. He turned to him again and frowned. Keisuke had always been really bad at hiding his emotions. And right now his little brother looked like he was feeling guilty. He chuckled and decided to put his brother at ease, "Don't worry Keisuke."

"But Aniki, I…"

Ryousuke shook his head, "It doesn't matter."

The blond frowned. Didn't his brother understand what he was trying to tell him?

"I told him-"

Ryousuke cut him off, "Keisuke."

They younger brother froze at the commanding voice, "I said it's ok."

Keisuke still wasn't sure his Aniki knew exactly what he was trying to say, but he relented. He sighed, "Ok Aniki."

"Did you go home last night?"

Keisuke shook his head.

"I see. Why don't you go get something good and warm to eat Keisuke."

At the mention of food the blond's stomach growled. He grabbed it in embarassement.

"Go Keisuke. I wouldn't want you becoming my roommate." He teased. When Keisuke just looked at him frowning he laughed quietly, "Go on. I'll be here when you get back."

"Yeah?"

Ryousuke nodded. He thought about teasing his brother again but didn't think he could handle it, so he settled for a simple nod instead.

"Alright. You want anything?"

Ryousuke was silent a moment, "Where do you plan on going?"

"Think I'll go home and take a shower then go to Family's."

"If you go home, can you bring my bag?"

Keisuke frowned but nodded, "Ok. I'll be back soon."

"Take your time." Ryousuke said and leaned back on the pillows.

"Ok. See you Aniki!"

The older brother closed his eyes and waited for the sound of the door closing shut. When he heard the soft click he re-opened his eyes and turned to look out the window and the bright sun filled day.

Fukotomi Mitsu…

* * *

Mitsu and Satoro turned to the opening door. 

"Hello Mitsu-chan."

"Hyobe-san, Keisuke-kun!" Mitsu exclaimed smiling.

"Hey." Satoro said giving them a casual wave.

Hyobe walked in and handed her a bouquet of flowers, "How do you feel?"

"Thank you Hyobe-san." She laid the flowers on her lap and nodded, "I was lucky."

"Here. Aniki asked for his, so I thought you might want yours too since you guys are the same when it comes to studying." Keisuke said rolling his eyes. He handed her the school and laptop bag.

"Thanks Keisuke!" She took the bag smiling, "I was just thinking about this!"

Keisuke rolled his eyes, "You and Aniki. All you think about is studying."

The smile fell from Mitsu's face a moment. She cleared her throat, "How's… Your brother?"

"He's ok."

"Speaking of which, if you guys don't mind, I'm going to go see Ryousuke." He turned to Keisuke, "What room is he in?"

"11A."

"Thanks. See you a bit later. Ja."

"Ja." The chorused as Hyobe walked towards the door.

"That guy's going to get a piece of my mind…" He grumbled as he left the room. He quickly made his way down a few corridors until he finally found his way to room 11A. He knocked lightly before opening the door and walking in.

"What did you do to yourself Ryousuke?!?" He exclaimed with a sigh.

"Hyobe." He watched as his best friend walked towards him.

"So?"

"It's nothing. I just need rest."

Hyobe studied him a moment then relented and went to grab a chair, "She doesn't look to be too bad considering she's been in an accident."

Ryousuke nodded and turned to look out the window.

Hyobe nodded, "You were worried."

"I was scared Hyobe…" Ryousuke shook his head unbelievably.

"She's ok." The engine designer reassured knowing how hard it was for his friend to express himself.

"Aa."

"Hey Aniki."

The two friends turned to the blond who entered the room, "Here's your stuff."

"Thanks." He took the bag from his brother.

"Oh. And I brought you the newspaper, in case you wanted to read about your race." A large smile on his face.

Ryousuke nodded and motioned for his brother to place it on the night table for him. He watched as Keisuke glanced over at Hyobe. He sighed. What were they up to now? He turned to Hyobe. Who laughed.

"It's nothing."

Ryousuke frowned.

"He just wants to make sure everything is ok between us."

Ryousuke glanced at his brother who nodded. No strange feelings, "Any news on the SW20?"

Keisuke shook his head, "Technically a total loss."

Ryousuke was silent.

"What does Mitsu want?" Hyobe asked suddenly.

Keisuke shrugged, "She hasn't mentioned her car once. Satoro brought it up and she said she didn't want to think about it."

"Let her be for now." Ryousuke turned to his brother, "Tell the garage to hold off doing anything until he hears from her or us again."

"Hai."

The door opened again and the three guys turned to see Takahashi Emi and Fujimaro enter the room.

"Hyobe-kun!" Emi said smiling, "It's nice to see you again!" She went to shake his hand as did her husband then she turned to her son, "Ryousuke."

He met her gaze but didn't say a word.

"Keisuke, Hyobe-kun. Could you excuse us a moment?" Fujimaro asked looking at them.

"Aa." The two guys made their way to the door.

"Do you think they'll cancel this whole betrothal?" Hyobe asked his best friend's brother as they walked back towards Mitsu's room.

"Not likely." Keisuke huffed.

* * *

Takahashi Ryousuke watched as the night shift nurse left his room. As soon as the door was completely closed, he pushed himself off the pillows and pushed aside the covers. His legs swung off the side of the bed to the floor where he slipped his feet into a pair of slippers kept for the patients. Moving towards the jar on the bedside table, he pulled out a cotton ball, then went to sit back on the bed. He gently removed the excess tape around the intravenous tube. Balling the tape he placed it on the table then grabbed the tubing and slipped it in his mouth. With his right hand, he placed the cotton ball on the entry point of the I.V. and gently applied pressure. Taking a slow even breath, his mouth pulled on the tubing until he was free from it. He spat out the tube as he continued to apply pressure where the tiny tube had just been removed. After a few more seconds he impatiently lifted the cotton ball. The tiny hole started to bleed again. He replaced the cotton ball on it then slid off the bed again and went to the cupboard where he had seen Yamamoto-sama get the band-aids. He released the wound and pulled open the door and there they were in plain view. He took one and proceeded to open it and gently apply it to the small spot of blood on the inside of his forearm. 

After everything was done he cleaned the mess and made his way to the door. Closing his eyes momentarily to collect himself, he pulled the door open as quietly as he could. The corridor seemed clear. The night nurse was probably in the next room with another patient. He stepped out and swiftly made his way down the corridor trying to make the least bit of noise as possible. His steps slowed as he approached her room. He stopped and stared at the door. Suddenly a noise from somewhere behind him caught his attention. He had two choices. Stay here and get caught or go inside and do what he had planned to do.

Who knows when another quiet opportunity with no one to interfere would present itself again.  
He grabbed the door knob, giving it a quick smooth twist he pushed it open, "Mitsu-chan?" He called softly just in case she had already fallen asleep.

"Ryousuke?" her surprised but very much awake voice greeted him.

"Aa." He slipped into the room and shut the door softly.

"What are you doing out of bed?!?"

When her bed light was turned on, he could tell that she was about to lecture him.

He started towards her with determined steps.

Mitsu froze.

That look.

He had that look again.

Ryousuke reached her within seconds and his hand reached out to touch the side of her face, "Mitsu…" Her name was barely a whisper on his lips. She looked… Perfect apart from the bandage above her brow. He was careful not to touch it. His eyes kept looking her over, devouring her. He couldn't seem to satisfy this need inside him to make sure she was ok and alive in front of him.

Before she could even think her hand was on him too, "Are you ok? I was so worried." She stroked his cheek and looked him over just as carefully as he was doing her. He looked tired. Very tired. And from what Keisuke and Satoro had said, he had slept quite a bit already.

He nodded and swallowed the lump that was forming in his throat. His body trembled with emotion, "I… I kept imagining the worst when Keisuke told me you…" His voice broke off.

"Shhh… I'm ok… Shh…" She passed her hand in his hair and pulled him closer to her so she could wrap her arms around him.

She seemed to be absorbing the tremors coursing through his body. The warmth that was sweeping into him was undeniable. He didn't want to let her go. But he needed to see her again. To make sure she was indeed ok… Pulling back he took her face in his hands looking over every inch of her.

She was ok… She was ok… A large weight seemed to lift off of him. His forehead rested against hers, "Mitsu…" He breathed as his eyes closed. Vanilla and Roses. He inhaled the soft scent as deeply as he could. He sighed. It was as though the scent was causing some biological chemical reaction that was acting like an aphrodisiac to his scrambled nerves.

"Hai…" Delicate fingers found their way through his dark hair then down to the back of his neck.

His eyes opened at the delicate touch and was overcome by the loving smile she gave him. He moved, closing the breadth of a distance between them and pressed his lips to hers.

Warm.

Soft.

All the emotion that had been pent up inside of him these past few days came tumbling forward and found its way into the kiss. He was losing himself to her and he felt emotionally too weak to do anything about it. He wasn't even sure that he would have done anything even if he did have the strength to do so. The realization caused him to pull away and take a deep breath.

Could this be real?

But before another thought could come into his mind and over rule his heart, Fukotomi Mitsu drew him back towards her.

From that moment, Takahashi Ryousuke did something he had never ever done. He did just what he had vowed to himself he would never do.

He gave in…

* * *

**Author's note:**

First off.. Thank you for reading! I enjoy hearing from you and from your individual messages.  
Secondly thanks for pointing out the mistakes Nebber and Magtec!

Lastly, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Cheers,

Forever CelicaChick


	33. Chapter 33: Aproaching the Start Line

**Chapter 33 - Aproaching the Start Line  
**  
Ryousuke was typing some notes into his laptop when the door to his room opened and his family entered.

"Good morning!" His mother said smiling as she took a straight line to his bedside.

Ryousuke gave her a small smile and nodded. He glanced at his brother who had made his way over to the chair and made himself comfortable as he yawned.

"How are you feeling?" She asked as she placed her hand on his forearm.

"Better."

"Are you sure?"

Fujimaro stepped to his wife's side, "He says he feels better Hun." He gave her a smile and turned to his son, "She's always going to worry about the two of you."

"So do you." She turned to Ryousuke, "He worries about you boys just as much. He just doesn't let you know that he does."

Fujimaro sighed then focused on his son again, "Katsu-san said you can go home today if you're feeling better."

"Aa."

Fujimaro nodded, "I'll let the nurse know."

"Thank you." He watched as his father nodded his head and left the room.

"I've got to get started." Emi said softly as she looked at her sons, "You two take care of each other."

She smiled when she saw her youngest roll his eyes. She turned to her eldest son, "You rest a bit more."

"I will be going to my afternoon classes."

Emi was startled for a moment but then nodded, "Of course. Be careful." She watched him simply nod his head, "Ok. See you both tonight." She gave Keisuke one last smile and patted Ryousuke's arm again before she also left the room."

Ryousuke waited until the door had closed before he closed his laptop and placed it on the night table.

"Keisuke, bring me my clothes will you? They're in the closet over there." He said pushing back the thin covers and climbed out of bed.

"Aa." The blond got out of his chair and went to the closet to get his brothers neatly hung clothes. He carried them over to the bed and laid them out, "Did they feed you yet?

"Not really."

"Want to go for lunch?"

"Not today." Ryousuke was removing the hospital shirt, "I need to go to class." He slid his arms into his own shirt and started on the buttons, "Is Satoro with Mitsu-chan?"

"Aa." Keisuke fingered the covers, "So… What do you plan to do?"

"Go home. Shower and go to class." He knew that wasn't what his brother meant but he decided to delay his answer.

"I mean about Mitsu-chan and Rotary Excellence."

"Nothing."

Keisuke frowned, "You're not going to do anything?"

His brother nodded simply and changed into his pants.

"What about Mom and Dad?"

The dark haired brother shrugged as he fastened his belt and moved away from the bed to pack his laptop and books, "What are you doing today?" He knew today was one of two days of the week his brother didn't have classes.

"Today? Nothing. Why?"

"I want you to go with Fumihiro to Chiba. Kenta can't make it today."

"Our next race is in Chiba?"

Ryousuke nodded and closed his bag. He took a quick look around then walked over to the closet to make sure nothing had been left inside.

Keisuke didn't think anything of it. He knew his Aniki always double checked everything out of habit, "Are we racing this weekend?"

"Aa."

"Is it too soon?"

"You've already had this past weekend off. It's time to get back to work."

"I mean for you Aniki."

"I'm fine. And this has nothing to do with me." He turned his steady gaze onto his brother, "Ok let's go."

Keisuke nodded and followed his brother out of the room, "Satoro and Mitsu are meeting us outside."

Ryousuke simply nodded. As they neared the reception desk, the nurse smiled at them and the man she was speaking to turned to face them.

Takahashi Fujimaro studied his sons as they approached. His youngest looked as he always did when he was in the hospital. Like he couldn't wait a second longer to get out. Ryousuke on the other hand, seemed to be strolling at his leisure. When exactly his son had become so skilled at masking his emotions and controlling his body's responses he couldn't exactly say. He concluded it was a cumulation of events and the burden of having to shoulder so much responsibility. But if there was a catalytic event that had spurred the onset of this change, it completely eluded him. He sighed inwardly. Although Emi and himself had tried to involve themselves as much as they could in the lives of their children as they were growing up, it had proved to be impossible to give a hundred percent to rearing them and managing a growing and evolving medical clinic. They had missed much in the lives of their sons, that was a certainty, but he had to admit that both boys had turned out to be fine young men. He was proud of them.

"All set?" He asked as his sons came to a stop before him.

"Aa." Both boys answered simultaneously.

"Where's Satoro-kun and Mitsu-chan?"

"Waiting outside." Keisuke answered quickly.

Fujimaro nodded and turned to look over Ryousuke, "Your mother said you were going to class."

The young man nodded, "Aa."

"Good."

It was the exact response Ryousuke expected from his father. What he didn't expect though was when he laid a hand on his shoulder and gave it a firm squeeze.

"If you feel unwell be sure to come home."

Ryousuke didn't allow the surprise to show as he nodded, "I'm fine."

Fujimaro studied him a moment longer before he acquiesced and nodded.

"So… We're going now." Keisuke exclaimed judging that it was now safe to intervene.

"Aa. Be careful."

Keisuke bowed his head slightly, "Let's go Aniki!"

Ryousuke bowed his head politely and waited for his father to acknowledge him with a nod before he turned and followed his brother out the front doors of the hospital.

Satoro and Mitsu turned as the glass doors slid open.

"How are you feeling Ryousuke-san?" Satoro asked as soon the Takahashi brothers joined them. He held out his hand.

"Well. Thank you." He grasped Satoro's hand in a firm handshake. He then turned to look at Fukotomi Mitsu and gave her a barely discernible nod, all too aware that both his bother and Satoro were watching them intently. He turned to the former.

Keisuke nodded, "Let's go." He started towards the parking lots, "Your car is where you left it Aniki." He said pulling out the keys to the FC from his pocket and holding it out to his bother.

"Aa."

"So how long do you think Satoro?" Keisuke asked as Mitsu's friend came to his side.

"Within a month."

"That's a big time frame." Keisuke frowned, "Not too confident?"

"Oh I am. I'm just saying it's going to be that quick. I could have said three months."

Keisuke laughed.

Behind them Ryousuke was logging their conversation into his memory, as he filed through any thing he could recall that may give him some insight into what they were talking about. He glanced at Mitsu who was now limping carefully beside him as Satoro and Keisuke had moved ahead to continue their debate. She was also watching them curiously and from the looks of it, she didn't have a clue either about the subject under discussion.

"Keisuke."

The blond Takahashi turned around suddenly to face his brother. He noticed the FC and smiled, "Oh. See you guys in a bit then." He then turned to Satoro again, "You can't simply assume a month and say that it's a reasonable estimate."

"Of course I can. Look at how long the whole process could take. A month is very reasonable."

Ryousuke watched as his brother walked away. That kid… He turned to Mitsu and motioned for her to go to the car. Unlocking the vehicle he held open the passenger side door for her.

"Thanks." She said gingerly sliding into the white bucket seats. Once she had settled into her seat she looked up at Ryousuke and he shut the door and made his way around the car.

He open the door and slid into the car, "They've ganged up against us." He said softly as he turned on the FC.

Mitsu laughed, "Seems like it. They've gotten braver. They're openly working on us."

Ryousuke smiled as he pulled out of the parking stall, "Must be Keisuke's influence."

"Don't be too sure about that. Satoro can be quite… Well let's just say he could interfere in things if he makes up his mind that he should."

"No wonder they've befriended each other so fast…" Ryousuke said still smiling.

"Yeah I guess so." She turned to him, "They really want us to be together."

"Aa. Satoro-san even came to my room once to talk to me about you."

"Really? What did he say?" She asked suddenly looking at him with dread.

"Let's just say that you've got a very good friend."

"Did he threaten you!?!?" Her eyes widened, "I'm going to kill him!"

Ryousuke laughed, "No threats." He could feel Mitsu studying him, "He was just looking out for you."

"Sometimes though he should really mind his own business."

"Sometimes it's hard for friends to understand that."

Mitsu turned to him. Although he still had remnants of a smile, she could see the seriousness lying beneath, "Hyobe?"

Ryousuke glanced at her. He nodded.

"You had an argument with him didn't you…"

"Somewhat."

Mitsu turned to look out the window.

He had fully expected her to ask him what about but it seemed like she already had a vague idea, "What did he tell 'you' about me?"

Mitsu glanced at him briefly before lowering her gaze to her lap, "Well… I…"

Ryousuke nodded, "It's ok."

"I'm not ready to talk about what Hyobe wants me to do."

"I understand completely." He had been right. Damn it.

Mitsu turned to him shocked. Had Hyobe possibly mentioned the same thing to him? He was staring straight ahead now a look of deep concentration on his face.

"Are you ready to go see you car?"

Mitsu turned to her companion.

It was clear that she was stunned by the sudden change in topic.

"You'll have to make a decision soon."

"I know. Where is it?"

"Not far from here."

"Ok."

Ryousuke took his eyes off the road to give her a quick look over. She was tense but she managed to give him a quaint smile.

"I'll have to do it anyway."

Ryousuke nodded and pulled out his cell phone, "Keisuke. We'll meet you at home in thirty minutes." He ended the call then made a turn so that they were no longer following the yellow FD.

"You know they're probably patting themselves on the back right now."

The sudden deep chuckled from the man next to her made her turn to look at him. She smiled at the sound. A warm feeling filled her. She wanted to…

She turned away to look out the window so he wouldn't see the heat that had risen to her cheeks.

"Here we are." Ryousuke turned into the parking lot of a five bay garage and parked the FC. He looked over at Mitsu, "Ready?"

She nodded and slowly pushed open the door and stepped out of the car. Ryousuke came to her side and gave her a nod before slowly leading the limping Mitsu towards the entrance.

"Hello. How can I help…" The man who had just strolled out of one of the open bays smiled, "Ryousuke-san. Good to see you again. You've come to look at the SW20."

The young man nodded, "Gakuto-san this is Fukotomi Mitsu. It's her car."

The man gave her a smile, "The body's in bad shape but the engine is fine." He explained as they followed the man inside the garage and towards the back.

Mitsu's steps slowed as the mangled white Toyota came into view.

Ryousuke in the meantime had already circled the white vehicle once and was now moving in for a closer inspection. Crouching down, he looked at the left rear wheel well.

"The drive train will have to be replaced."

Ryousuke nodded.

Mitsu finally made a full circle of her car and came to stand by Ryousuke.

"Although there's extensive damage, technically the structural frame is still intact." He informed her as he got to his feet. He watched her nod once without removing her eyes from the car, "Let's go."

Mitsu nodded then turned and started back towards the exit.

Ryousuke turned to shop owner, "I'll call with a decision by tonight."

"Aa." The man nodded, "She looks stunned."

Ryousuke simply nodded and the two men walked back outside where Mitsu was standing by the FC waiting. He unlocked the door and Mitsu immediately climbed in. He turned to Gakuto, "Thank you." He bowed his head politely then went to his car.

Once inside Ryousuke started the engine and pulled out of the parking lot. They drove in silence a long moment.

"What else would you drive?"

"I don't know."

* * *

Keisuke and Satoro welcomed them as they entered the house. 

"Where'd you guys go?" Keisuke asked with a large smile on his face.

"We went to see my car."

The smile faded.

"So?" Satoro asked curiously.

"It would cost a lot." Mitsu said nodding as she removed her shoes and stepped into her slippers. Without further explanation she made her way up the stairs.

"Aniki?" Keisuke turned to his brother.

"Don't worry Keisuke." He slipped on his slippers, "Did Fumihiro contact you?"

"Aa. Satoro was going to come with us."

"That's fine." He gave the man under discussion a nod of his head and also made his way up the stairs.

"Does that mean she's keeping the SW20?" Keisuke queried.

Satoro shrugged, "Give me a minute I want to go check on Mitsu." He took the steps two at a time and went straight to her room. He knocked on the closed door.

"Come in!"

Pushing the door in he noticed Mitsu walking about the room, a set of clothes in her arms.

"You ok?"

Mitsu gave him a small smile and nodded, "I want to shower."

Satoro nodded. Of course, "So what are you going to do?"

"I'm not sure yet." She glanced at her friend, "It's good to be home." She said with a sigh and left the room.

Satoro watched her.

Home?

He smiled. He had to tell Keisuke about this new development.

* * *

Ryousuke gathered a change of clothes, preparing his things for a shower. He then stepped out of his room but as he approached the washroom he heard the shower running. Mitsu. She'd beaten him to it. He returned to his room and decided to take this opportunity to catch up on his school work. Any small amount of time could be useful. Leaving his bedroom door slightly ajar so he could hear when she finished, he settled himself at his desk. He turned on his laptop and leaned back in his chair as he waited for it to load.  
The feeling he had experienced with Fukotomi Mitsu the night before hit him and his attention drifted back to that moment. He had never felt anything like it. He frowned, deciding that the unknown could be quite scary. He sighed softly and leaned forward to open his e-mail. 

He scrolled down the list, checking off the ones with subject headings he found dis-interesting and deleted them.

Re: Sugoi!

Re: Your #1 Fan

Re: Project D Dominates!

Delete. Delete. Delete.

He froze.

Oonichi Amaya.

He hesitated and glanced at his door from the corner of his eyes before clicking on the e-mail.

_Dear Ryousuke,_

_I wanted to congratulate you on your win this morning.  
I would have congratulated you in person but couldn't seem  
to reach you after the race. You drove like I always loved  
to see you drive. Roku-kun and I hope to see you again one  
day. Maybe soon? I'm sure everyone would like to see you  
out there again.  
How's Fukotomi Mitsu? Have you realized that you like  
her yet? Don't be shocked Ryousuke. You should ask her out  
soon before someone else does.  
Be Happy Ryousuke. _

_Your friend, _

_Oonichi Amaya _

Ryousuke was frowning by the time he finished reading. He re-read it once more then rested an elbow on the table and placed his head in his hands. His fingers threaded through his dark hair as he continued to stare at the e-mail.

The sound of the bathroom door opening caused him to straighten. He closed and locked his laptop and moved to gather his clothes and head out of the room.

Mitsu was just opening her bedroom door.

She gave him a small smile.

Ryousuke nodded and walked pass quickly before disappearing into the bathroom.

Mitsu stared after him curiously then pushed open her door. She had a feeling something was bothering him…

* * *

Ryousuke leaned a hand against the wall as he stood under the shower, the hot water dripping over his head and down his skin. 

Keisuke, Hyobe, Satoro-san, Amaya… How could they know before he even knew?

He fisted his hand a moment before forcing himself to relax. There wasn't anything he could do now. Just be careful. He let out a soft sigh. Straightening he turned off the water and opened the glass door. He quickly toweled off and dressed.

He had a lot to do today. But it could have been worst. It was a good thing he had studied ahead, or he would have really been behind now.

Once back in his room, he quickly hung his towel on a hook at the side of his armoir and gathered his things together. Taking a quick survey of the room, he stepped out into the hallway and took a couple strides to Fukotomi Mitsu's room.

He stopped abruptly at the precipice of the open door.

"Oh. Excuse my intrusion." He bowed apologetically and took a step back.

"Ryousuke-san!" Satoro exclaimed surprised as he pulled out the embrace with his best friend.

His arms remained on her Ryousuke noticed. He bowed his head again, "I apologize. I just wanted to ask you Mitsu-chan if you'd like me to take the liberty in asking your professors for any assignments."

"Oh. That would be great. Thank you!"

Ryousuke nodded and glanced at Satoro, "Excuse me then." He coolly turned and disappeared from sight.

Satoro turned to his best friend, "That was nice of him."

"Aa." She smiled at her friend. Something was off…

* * *

"Oye Aniki, are you leaving now?" Keisuke came bouncing into view as the older brother finished slipping on his loafers. 

"Aa. Go film the course soon, Keisuke." He walked past his brother and out the door.

Keisuke watched with a frown then took the stairs two at a time all the way to Mitsu's open door, "Hey what's with Aniki?"

The two occupants of the room turned to him.

"What's wrong with him?" Mitsu asked paying full attention.

"He seemed… I don't' know… Different."

"Different…" Mitsu repeated softly.

"Oh…"

Keisuke and the young lady turned to Satoro who was smiling smugly to himself.

"What?" They both asked.

"He's jealous."

"Eh??? Jealous?!?!" Mitsu and Keisuke repeated incredulously.

"Aniki doesn't get jealous." He adamantly shook his head.

Mitsu was frowning confused as to what Takahashi Ryousuke could possibly be jealous of.

"Hold on a sec! Why do you think he's jealous?" Keisuke asked suddenly feeling suspicious.

Satoro's smile widened, "Cause he walked in here and saw me hugging Mitsu."

Keisuke's eyes widened, "Really? You think so?"

Mitsu sighed, "He is not jealous. He knows we're all friends." She informed them exasperated, "Besides, didn't you just say that your Aniki doesn't get jealous Keisuke-kun?"

The young man shrugged, "The impossible could happen when it comes to you Mitsu-chan." He grinned.

She shook her head.

"He's a man Mitsu. Trust me, when we see another man holding the woman we're interested in, we feel something."

"We're friend's Satoro."

"Right." He looked over at Keisuke and rolled his eyes.

"I duno. Aniki is kind of different…" He said changing his mind again.

Satoro sighed giving up, "I still think he's jealous."

* * *

Ryousuke sat down next to Etsuya and immediately all his friend's gaze settled on him. He pretended not to notice their stares as he pulled his textbook from his bag and flipped it open to read. 

They had all questioned him about his weekend in their previous class but now that they were not surrounded too closely by their classmates, he could sense they wanted to question him further about Fukotomi Mitsu's whereabouts. He was glad they had not enquired too seriously about her when other people could have heard and caused more rumours to circulate. For that he was very glad. For some reason things regarding Fukotomi Mitsu always got under his skin…

"Ok Ryousuke, so why didn't Mitsu-chan come? Is she sick?" Isamu asked in a hushed tone after he checked to see if anyone was walking pass their table.

Ryousuke flipped the page of his textbook, "She was in a racing accident on Sunday night-"

"WHAT?!?!?" The three young men all exclaimed incredulously.

"Is she ok?" Etsuya was the first to regain his composure.

Ryousuke nodded, "She was released from the hospital this morning with a slight ankle sprain and some bruising. They kept her there for observation."

"How bad was the accident?" Isamu asked cautiously.

"Bad enough to total her vehicle." Ryousuke turned another page.

"Then she was very lucky to not have gotten any worst injuries." Genjo said softly.

Ryousuke nodded and continued to read.

Etsuya studied his friend carefully a moment before he decided to speak, "You stayed all day with her yesterday?" He saw his friend's eyes freeze briefly in their movement over the words he was reading.

"No."

"Huh? So then where were you? You didn't come to classes yesterday." Isamu asked confused.

Ryousuke glanced up at his friend, "Resting." His gaze met his other two friends as well before he turned back to his book.

Etsuya leaned back with a half smile, "Interesting…"

Ryousuke pretended not to hear him while Genjo and Isamu turned to Etsuya frowning.

* * *

Takahashi Ryousuke quietly shut the door and locked it. He glanced around him quickly as he removed his loafers and slipped into his slippers. With smooth strides that didn't reveal the level of his fatigue, he made his way up the stairs and to his room. Going straight to his desk he placed his bag on the surface then turned to survey the room.

He wasn't exactly looking for anything. In fact he wasn't sure why he was doing it. He shut his eyes briefly before turning back to his bag to pull out a folder. He stared at it thoughtfully a long time before taking it with him and going back downstairs.

* * *

Mitsu stopped reading when she heard Ryousuke's door again and wondered where he was going. After a moment she sighed. She wanted to see him but at the same time the thought of it made her anxious.

She touched her lips gently as her mind recalled his lips crushing down on hers. Already she could feel her cheeks start to flush at the mere memory. She shook the thought away. She had to be rational about this. In reality she didn't know him well at all. They didn't talk much, they didn't spend much time together, they for sure didn't know each other well enough to warrant the formation of any strong feelings for each other.

Relief seeped through her body. Yes. She was simply attracted to him that was all. It was natural wasn't it? Being attracted to a man that looked like Takahashi Ryousuke, it was natural. Albeit, a little out of character for her to simply go around kissing a man she found attractive.

She frowned.

"Mitsu-chan?" A soft knock sounded at her door as his muffled voice was heard.

Her head snapped towards the door, "Come in." She felt her stomach tighten as the door slowly opened.

The man she had been just thinking about stepped inside carrying his black leather folder and a steaming mug of something.

"How are you feeling?" He asked as he approached her bed.

"Fine. I'm just trying to catch up on my reading." She offered him a smile that she hoped seemed natural.

He nodded and held out the mug.

"Thank you." She carefully took the drink from him.

Tea.

"You're flushed. Do you have a fever?"

Mitsu smiled, "Oh no. I'm fine. I was just remembering something embarrassing."

He nodded.

"Have a seat." She offered.

Ryousuke nodded again and stepped away from the bed to roll her chair over. He sat down and then pulled open his folder. Pulling out a few sheets of paper, he passed them over to Mitsu, "From your professors."

"Thank you." She glanced over them, "I guess it's not so bad." She looked up at him and smiled.

"You'll be up to date rather quickly."

They were silent a moment.

"The guys wish you well and hope to see you soon."

Mitsu smiled, "I'm going to go tomorrow."

"I'll drive you then. You should rest your ankle whenever you can."

"Hai. Thank you."

They were silent a moment.

Mitsu felt an awkward silence come in between them. She didn't like it. Perhaps it was due to her thoughts before he had arrived. She turned to him, "How are you feeling?"

Those stern eyes met hers, "I'm fine."

"Hmm. Keisuke came here after you left this morning. He was worried about you."

She watched as he smiled, "He comes to you a lot when he's worried."

"That's only because you tell him you're fine but he thinks otherwise."

Ryousuke shrugged, "Nevertheless, he trusts you."

"You think so?"

He nodded, "He wouldn't have shared so much with you if he didn't." _And he wouldn't have been trying to set us up._ Ryousuke thought to himself.

"He's very loyal to you."

"I'm his brother."

Mitsu laughed, "Yes, but even if you were not. He would have been as equally loyal to you. Just as the rest of your friends and your teams." He seemed to look amused at her words. Didn't he notice how people gravitated towards him?

"Anyway, you're changing the subject. Don't think I didn't notice." She saw a smile return to his lips which pretty much represented a confession. Her tone became softer as she continued, "Did something happen?"

It should have been easy to wave off her question but that concerned look she was giving him… It always seemed to disarm him despite his efforts against it. His smile slowly faded. He sighed. Why did she have to have this effect on him, "I'm fine Mitsu-chan."

Mitsu watched him unconvinced. She released the papers she was holding and reached for his hand.

Ryousuke's gaze dropped at her touch. Her fingers entwined with his. They were slim and long and the skin was very soft. She gave his hand a gentle squeeze as he continued to watch their hands together.

"Amaya sent me an e-mail…" He found himself voicing before his mind could stop him. He twitched as the extent of his actions registered in his brain. But it was soon forgotten when the hand that held his tightened reassuringly.

"She wanted to congratulate you?" Mitsu asked gently.

Ryousuke glanced at her briefly and then nodded, "Aa."

There was another moment of silence.

She squeezed his hand again and she felt him twitch ever so slightly.

"She said something else to you."

Silence.

"You were close once. So whatever she said to you, it must have been something she thought you should know. Sometimes it's hard to hear those things but we still need to hear it."

"I've changed since then. She doesn't know me like she thinks she does." Ryousuke's voice was even, steady but he kept his gaze averted from hers.

She was amazed at how he allowed her to see this more vulnerable side of him. She moved about on the bed so that she could face him. She continued to hold onto his hand as she moved the other to touch his face, "What did she say?"

His eyes slowly raised to meet hers.

"Mitsu-chan…"

"Hai."

His lips settled on hers.

* * *

"So how's he doing?" Fumihiro asked glancing back at the younger Takahashi. 

"He's his usual self." Keisuke shrugged.

"Except for being jealous." Satoro informed him smiling as he drove.

"Jealous?!!?" Fumihiro's eyes widened, "What in the world would he be jealous of???"

Satoro laughed.

Keisuke rolled his eyes, "He's not sure about it, but Satoro thinks Aniki might be jealous cause he saw Satoro hugging Mitsu-chan."

"Why would that make Ryousuke jealous? It's not like he has feeling for…" His gaze darted between Keisuke and Satoro, "Does he?"

Keisuke shrugged.

"Is this because of that bet you and Matsumoto are doing?" He asked looking straight at Satoro.

"It's because of stuff like this that I'm going to win that bet." Satoro was still smiling.

"Hey what Bet are you guys talking about? I don't remember any bets? And why wasn't I included???" Keisuke asked leaning forward to join their conversation.

"Oh!!! That's right. You were racing the NSX. I made a bet with Matsumoto-san that Ryousuke-san would fall for Mitsu."

Keisuke laughed, "What's Matsumoto going to have to do when he loses?"

"You too???" Fumihiro said incredulously.

The blond chuckled, "She's pretty amazing Fumihiro." He leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms about his chest, "If Aniki doesn't recognize that, then I'll be pretty disappointed in him." He added softly.

Fumihiro watched stunned. Keisuke was being pretty open about his brother. It wasn't often that he shared his feelings especially anything concerning himself and his family. He turned back in his seat as they reached their final destination: The parking lot of Mt. Nokogiri-yama.

"Uh Fumihiro." Keisuke said looking out the window, "Where's the road up?"

"We just drove it." He said smiling. He reached for the door handle and climbed out of the car.

"It's not a mountain battle?" Satoro asked confused as he turned off the vehicle and he and Keisuke also climbed out of the car.

"This place is known to have one of the largest statues of Buddha in all of Japan." Fumihiro stated as he walked away from the car.

Satoro and Keisuke exchanged looks before following after him.

* * *

Ryousuke pulled away desperately trying to keep his breath steady, "Amaya knows about this… this attraction between us." It was the only thing he could think of to name it. 

"She's been hinting at it since the first time I met her." Mitsu said as she lightly pressed her lips to his again, "It didn't bother you then." She pulled back to look at him.

"Things were not like they are now." He whispered as he unconsciously stroked her hand, "I was unprepared."

Their eyes met and Mitsu nodded in understanding. She had not been prepared either. This thing… This 'attraction' that had sprouted between them…

She suddenly jerked her hand from his as they both turned to her open window. The sound of a car pulling up to the house and parking floated into the room.

"My parents." Ryousuke said softly.

Mitsu nodded.

Their eyes met yet again and without having to express their feelings verbally each was glad that they shared similar thoughts.

"I'll let you get back to your studies. He got to his feet and rolled her chair back to her desk.

Mitsu watched him quietly but when she had expected him to leave, he surprised her by glancing at her window. The sound of his parents getting out of the car could clearly be heard. In the next moment, Ryousuke was striding towards her again. He bent down and kissed her tenderly and smiled.

She watched dazedly as he then swiftly made his way out of her room leaving her sitting alone on her bed.

It wasn't long before there was a knock at her door and she bid the person to enter. Fujimaro and Emi entered the room.

"How are you feeling Mitsu-chan?" Emi asked as she instinctively surveilled the young woman's features.

"I'm doing well. Just catching up on my reading. I'll attend my classes tomorrow."

The two Takahashi's nodded.

"Are you hungry? We'll bring you something to eat when dinner's ready."

"Oh no! I'll come down. Really I'm fine." She gave the couple such a reassuring smile that Emi had to return it. She surprised Mitsu with a hug.

"We're so glad you're ok!"

Fujimaro nodded, "You scared us."

"I'm sorry." It was the only thing she could think of to say.

"Don't worry. Just be careful, ok?"

Mitsu nodded still surprised at how much the Takahashi's seemed to care for her.

"We'll call you when dinner's ready." Emi said as she stroked the young lady's hair and turned to her husband who nodded.

"I'll come down shortly." Mitsu insisted.

Fujimaro chuckled and patted her shoulder, "We'll see you downstairs then." He said placing a hand on his wife's lower back as they exited her room.

Once out in the hallway with the door closed he turned to Emi, "Just as stubborn as our sons." He said with a smile still on his face.

* * *

Mitsu watched the Takahashi's as they left her room. 

Keisuke and Ryousuke had wonderful parents…

She smiled.

Which meant they would in turn someday make wonderful parents as well. It was an amusing thought to think of the reknown Takahashi Brothers as young family men ogling small children.

Shaking the thought away she quickly got out of bed and made her way downstairs to the kitchen, where to her surprise Ryousuke was already there helping his parents prepare dinner. She had a lingering image or Ryousuke baby talking to his son or daughter.

"Mitsu-chan." Emi's voice pulled her from her thoughts, "Come. Sit down."

"What can I do to help?"

"Oh no dear. You have a seat and rest. Tell us about your weekend in Tochigi." She pulled out a chair and motioned for her to sit down.

"I'm ok Emi-san. I can help."

"Don't worry. Ryousuke's helping tonight." It's good for him to practice his culinary skills." Fujimaro informed her as he too motioned for her to sit down.

She glanced at Ryousuke who moved about the kitchen seemingly oblivious to the conversation. She finally decided to oblige and sit down.

"Here have some tea dear." Emi placed a steaming mug of green tea on the table before her.

"Thank you."

"So what time did you arrive in Tochigi?"

"Keisuke, Satoro and I arrived around ten pm? I would say."

"Did Ryousuke pick you up?"

"Oh no. Someone from Rotary Excellence came to get us from the station." She sipped her tea.

"I suppose Keisuke went out afterwards?" Fujimaro asked as he began setting up the table.

"The three of us did but there isn't anything to see close to the track so we had a few drinks and snacks in the hotel restaurant and then returned back to our rooms."

"Keisuke behaved himself?" Fujimaro asked raising a curious brow.

Mitsu smiled and nodded, "Although Satoro and him probably stayed up all night chatting."

"It's nice to see they've become good friends ne." Emi said smiling.

"Hai."

"I suppose those two will be eating out tonight?" Fujimaro asked his son.

"Aa." Ryousuke scooped the fish he was frying out of the pan and set it gently on a plate. His mother took it from him as she nodded in approval before carrying it over to the table.

Fujimaro carried several bowls of rice to the table as his son set a plate of vegetables down.

"It's good when the men know how to cook." Emi said smiling.

The young lady smiled and nodded.

"Ok. Let's eat." Fujimaro sat down at the table.

Ryousuke followed his father's example.

"Itadakimasu!" They chorused.

They ate in silence for a while.

"Oh Mitsu-chan, Yamamoto-san mentioned that you were interested in volunteering at the clinic."

"Hai. I was going to drop my resume sometime this week."

"That's great. It's good to get the experience." He turned to Ryousuke, "Are you ready to do your practicum?"

"Aa."

"Good."

Emi gave her son a gentle smile, "You'll do fine."

"Aa." He continued to eat.

"Ryousuke."

The young man stopped chewing suddenly and looked up at his father's stern voice.

"If you need more time to rest, your practicum can be delayed." He held his son's steady gaze.

Delayed!?!

Ryousuke didn't allow his surprise to show on his features, "That won't be necessary." He nodded his reassurance and waited for his father to acknowledge his answer.

"Are you sure?"

"Aa."

Fujimaro glanced at his wife.

"Your health is the most important thing Ryousuke."

"I understand."

Emi studied him. Did he really? He continued to hold her gaze steadily. She finally nodded, "Ok." Turning to her husband she nodded.

Fujimaro turned back to his son, "Well then, I can't wait to see how you perform."

Ryousuke nodded and turned back to his dinner. A sudden addition of weight seemed to have landed on his shoulder. He quickly finished his food and gathered his things, "Please excuse me." He bowed his head politely and placed his dishes away before leaving the kitchen.

Mitsu continued to eat all the while and carefully taking in the whole conversation and everyone's body language.

"You must think we're horrible parents, putting so much pressure on Ryousuke."

"No! I think you're wonderful parents." She looked between the two, "You remind me of my own…" She stopped that line of thought and smiled, "The way everyone naturally gravitates to them and becomes loyal to them attests to how well they've been raised."

Both Takahashi's stared at her.

"You're such a sweet girl. Your parents were very proud of you. They are proud of you." Emi corrected quickly.

Fujimaro placed a hand on his wife's shoulder and nodded.

"I… Thank you." Mitsu replied softly; sadly.

"So has everything been ok?" Fujimaro asked after finishing his miso.

Mitsu nodded.

"Is there anything you need? Just let us know."

"Hai." She picked up her miso and finished it."

"Mitsu-chan?"

The young lady looked up at Takahashi Emi curiously, "Hai."

"We're sorry about the betrothal. Your parents and us only wanted… we wanted to make sure the two of you would be taken care. We thought that you could help each other. We hope the two of you could have been friends. We're sorry if there's much tension between you."

Mitsu was too stunned to answer. Her gaze lowered to the table.

Emi and Fujimaro exchanged worried looks.

"Mitsu-chan, Ryousuke's not mistreating you is he?" Fujimaro asked carefully.

The young lady's head snapped up, "No!" Shocked at the question she looked repeatedly between the couple who were obviously worried, "No. Of course not. As you mentioned, it's simply uncomfortable that's all. I'm sure the feeling is mutual." She smiled at the last bit of information.

Emi smile sadly, "We're sorry dear."

Mitsu simply nodded, "I guess I can understand what you wanted as parents…" She added to try and reassure her guardians.

He knew she didn't quite understand but her effort was obvious. Fujimaro nodded, "Arigato."

Mitsu blushed. She still couldn't believe they had suggested the possibility that Ryousuke could be mistreating her. Perhaps they thought that she and their son really hated each other that much to cause such an uncharacteristic reaction?

"Please don't worry. Ryousuke-san and I won't kill each other." She joked.

Emi smiled, "I should hope not."

Fujimaro laughed softly.

"Excuse me."

They turned to see the young man in discussion at the threshold of the kitchen.

"I'll be at Akagi."

"Be careful." Emi said, the smile now gone from her face.

"Aa." He glanced at his father who nodded, then took his leave.

Mitsu finished her food, "Please excuse me." She got up to put away her dishes then left the kitchen.

Emi turned to her husband, "They're completely avoiding each other."

Fujimaro nodded. He too had noticed, "There's nothing we can do. If they don't like each other, they don't like each other." He sighed, "But I had hoped…"

Emi touched his arm gently and nodded in understanding, "But I was sure they had some kind of understanding…" She glanced at the opening where Mitsu had just left from. She sighed.

* * *

Keisuke and Satoro skipped up the stairs and went straight to Mitsu's room. Satoro knocked on the door, "Hey Mitsu it's us." 

"Come in!"

The two men pushed open the door and entered.

"How was it?" Mitsu was sitting on top of her comforters on her bed, her textbook lying open in her lap.

"It was good. How are you feeling?" Satoro asked as he took a seat beside her on the bed.

"I'm fine. Almost done all my reading." She turned to Keisuke, "Are you going to practice tonight?"

"Aa. I'm going to leave soon. Just wanted to come see how you were doing." He turned to Satoro, "See you whenever I see you next."

Satoro nodded, "Yeah. Come visit me in Tokyo when you get a chance."

Keisuke's smile widened, "If Aniki gives us another break."

Satoro nodded.

The young Takahashi turned to Mitsu who had been watching them, "Ok, I'm going then." He gave a curt wave and left the room.

"You're not going?" She turned curious eyes onto her best friend.

"Nah. I'm going to spend the night with you. Plus I have to leave early tomorrow."

"Well it will be nice to have you all to myself for the evening."

"Yeah? So what do you want to do?"

"Want to go get dessert?"

Satoro smiled, "Sounds good. Let me go take a shower and you can finish reading then we'll go."

Mitsu nodded and watched him smile and walk out of her room. She sighed and turned back to her textbook. Almost done…

* * *

Akagi... 

Ryousuke finished attaching the cables running from the HD camcorder to his laptop, "You didn't meet anyone?"

"Nope. Quiet as can be. Not even that many tourist there today. Good clear roads."

Ryousuke nodded as he inserted a blank DVD into his laptop and began the transfer.

He glanced at his watch. Time to call them in.

The DVD drive opened, spitting out the newly created DVD. Ryousuke pressed it closed again and detached Fumihiro's camera.

"How are they doing?" He asked as he took the camera form his friend and began packing it.

"Improving." Ryousuke answered as he opened his media browser to watch the video feed.

* * *

Keisuke passed the Redsuns one by one as he climbed up Akagi. Pulling into the parking lot and stopping by his brother's FC he climbed out and joined Ryousuke and Fumihiro, "Sorry I'm late Aniki. I went to check on Mitsu-chan before coming." 

Ryousuke glanced at him with a nod then turned back to his laptop.

"How's the video?"

"It'll do."

Keisuke rolled his eyes and Fumihiro who had seen it laughed light heartedly.

Kenta's S18 appeared and all their attentions turned to it.

Ryousuke waved for him to approach, "That's all for tonight."

"Hai!" he turned off his car and was immediately bounding out and over to Ryousuke's younger brother, "Keisuke-san!"

"Yo." Keisuke greeted as his friend joined him.

"Wasn't the race amazing?! You're going to be racing professionally soon too!"

"Hn. I'll be ready when Aniki says so." He shrugged.

Kenta glanced over at Ryousuke a moment. He met the team leader's gaze and quickly turned back to the younger Takahashi, "I… I'm sure it will be soon. You've been training so hard."

Keisuke chuckled. Despite all of his brother's achievements and charisma, Kenta somehow still favoured him. It was flattering of course and rather quite refreshing to see that there were people his Aniki couldn't place under his spell. That and Kenta seemed slightly shy of his Aniki for some odd reason. Maybe it was that serious look his brother often had on his face or that strong aura that kept shyer people at bay. Either way, it was amazing how loyal to him Kenta had become.

Not too far away Ryousuke removed his gaze from Kenta and his brother and turned to Fumihiro, "I'll make a copy for Fujiwara and drop it off on my way home. Contact the team and confirm a rendez-vous time of 18:00."

"Hai. I'll start calling them now." Fumihiro pulled out his cell phone and began calling the other members of project D. He was talking to Matsumoto as he watched Ryousuke motioned for the rest of the Redsuns to stop as they arrived in the parking lot.

"Kenta."

The young man startled at Ryousuke's stern voice, "Coming!" He replied rushing over to the older Takahashi.

Fumihiro ended his call with Matsumoto and dialed the next person as he continued to watch Ryousuke approach each member of the Redsuns individually and chat with them quickly.

"You all know what you have to work on. I expect to see that you've improved in those areas by next Tuesday." He looked over each one of them, waiting to see if any one had any questions or comments. When no one spoke he dismissed them.

"Arigato Ryousuke-san!" They chorused bowing politely before turning about and walking away together chatting happily.

Takahashi Ryousuke watched as they each slowly left with the exception of Kenta who immediately went back to buzz around his younger brother.

Fumihiro smirked and continued to talk on the phone as he watched Ryousuke insert a blank disk into his laptop. Within moments he ejected it and placed it back in the case before also packing his laptop. He turned towards him then and raised his hand in salute.

Fumihiro nodded and gave a wave as Ryousuke was about to enter the FC. When he suddenly stopped, Fumihiro took a quick look around the lot. They were still the only ones present.

"Hey, I've got to go. We meet at 18:00." He ended the call and walked over to his friend, "What's going on?"

"We have guests."

"Guests?" Fumihiro stood silently and watched the entrance to the parking lot in anticipation.

"Hey what are you guys looking at?" Keisuke asked as he and Kenta joined them. Keisuke took one look at his brother then also looked in the same direction as he was. He could hear it now. Several distinctive sounds of modified cars.

The loud revving of cars down-gearing came a second before the cars themselves appeared.

Three GT-R's…

Keisuke frowned. More GTRs. What was with this trend? He was about to say as much to his brother when he saw Ryousuke cross his arms about his chest and any minute expression of emotion vanished from his face. It was then that he opted to remain silent and turned back to watch their guests enter the parking lot and park not too far from them.

Four men that seemed about their age stepped out of the car and looked directly at them.

Ryousuke's gaze settled on one man in particular. He came out of the passenger side of the black GTR, his right arm resting in a sling. Ryousuke's eyes narrowed and his stomach tightened as he resisted clenching his fist or allowing any emotion to be displayed on his face.

_"There was a group of GT-R's. They were waiting for the Redsuns so they could challenge them. I asked one of them to race."_ Fukotomi Mitsu's words the night he had visited her resurfaced in his memory. It was them…

Keisuke frowned. He had this weird feeling like something was hovering on his skin. He turned to his Aniki. The feeling intensified. What was this sudden feeling he was getting from him? To be so strong that he could feel it almost touching him… He shuddered.

"Hello." One of them called out as they approached, "We're from Team Road Samurai.

Keisuke frowned. What the heck kind of name was that?!

"You were here Sunday night." Ryousuke stated.

All four visitors turned to him surprised.

Keisuke's eyes widened as he realized who they were. He shifted uneasily. No wonder he was getting this strange feeling from his brother…

"Takahashi Ryousuke!" One of them suddenly burst out with widening eyes. They landed on Keisuke next, "Takahashi Keisuke!"

The four visitors exchanged looks.

"Hai. We were here Sunday." The man wearing the sling answered stepping forward.

"You were lucky." Ryousuke's voice remained neutral.

The man nodded, "Do you know her? I went to the clinic I heard she was at, but they said she had already been released. Is she alright?"

Keisuke glanced at his brother when he didn't reply right away.

"She will recover." He replied finally.

The man exhaled in relief, "I was worried."

Keisuke shifted nervously and he eyed his brother again. His brother seemed too calm…

Fumihiro, who had been silent until then, turned to the visitors, "What makes you come here?"

"We wanted to challenge the Redsuns. That's when we met her and she told us they had the night off." The first man answered.

"She's amazing." The man who had recognized the Takahashi brothers exclaimed smiling.

Ryousuke glanced at him for only a moment before his eyes settled on the man in the sling again.

Fumihiro was becoming uneasy and from the looks of it so was Keisuke, "Ah Ryousuke, are you still going to go to Fujiwara's?" He pretended to glance at his watch.

"Aa." He too glanced at his watch before turning to their visitors, "Excuse me." He turned and casually went towards his FC.

Keisuke watched him get into his car and take off. When he turned back to their guests he found them also watching his brother.

"Wow." One of them, which Keisuke couldn't figure out, whispered softly.

"The Redsuns are done for the night." Keisuke informed them.

"Oh. Just our luck. When will they be back?"

"Either way they don't race n their home course." Fumihiro informed them.

"We heard a rumour about that."

"It's not a rumour." Kenta blurted crossing his arms about his chest.

The man in the sling glanced at him then nodded, "Can we leave a number with you so they can contact us for a challenge?"

Keisuke glanced at Fumihiro, "I'll pass it on."

"Great." The man in the sling motioned for one of his friends to give Keisuke the number while he turned back to the young Takahashi, "How is she?"

Keisuke's feature's became stern, "She'll be fine."

"How do you guys know her? Is she part of the Redsuns?"

"No. We know everything that goes on, on our home course." Keisuke replied turning to him briefly before his eyes settle on the man wearing the sling, "You do know that you may just have played a part in totaling the Tokyo Phantom?"

Kenta nodded his head to affirm the statement.

"Who?"

"The Tokyo Phantom?!?!" The man that had recognized the Takahashi brothers gasped. His friends turned to him.

"You've heard of the Tokyo Phantom?" The man in the sling asked.

"You haven't?!?! The Tokyo phantom is this white SW20 that is undefeated. You can challenge it by making a request online. No one knows who the driver is.: He turned to Keisuke at this point, "She's the Tokyo Phantom!?!?!"

Keisuke nodded, "The damage to the SW20 was extensive."

"Is she going to have it repaired?"

"Don't know."

* * *

Fujiwara Bunta was standing just outside the his small shop enjoying his cigarette as he looked calmly at the sky. At the sound of a tuned engine approaching, he removed the cigarette from his lips and stared down the road. Soon enough a pair of lights appeared. 

He leaned around the door jam, "Takumi!" He hollered into the shop, "You have a guest!" He turned and leaned against the door jam again, raising the cigarette to his lips again.  
He kept a lazy gaze on the vehicle as it approached. An FC. Well maintained. It came to a stop in front of the shop and a young man clad in dress pants and a button down shirt stepped out of the idling car.

He bowed politely, "Good Evening. I'm Takahashi Ryousuke." He straightened, "Fujiwara-san?"

Bunta nodded, "Aa."

Ryousuke bowed his head politely again, "I only wanted to give this to your son." He held out the disc.

Bunta regarded him with a steady gaze before he accepted it, "I'll make sure he gets it."

"Aa. Thank you." Ryousuke bowed his head once more, "Good night." He took a step back then fully turned and got back into the FC.

"What is it dad?" Takumi exclaimed slightly annoyed as he stepped out of the Tofu shop. His eyes caught sight of the white FC as it drove off, "Ryousuke-san?"

"He left you this." He held out the disc to his teenage son.

"Aa." He took it and stared down at it before yawning, "I'm going back to bed."

Bunta simply nodded and continued to smoke. Finally. Takahashi Ryousuke. There was a strong aura about him. He smiled. Good.

* * *

She looked up from her laptop when she heard him enter his room and the door shut with a soft click. Mitsu stared quietly at the wall separating hers and Ryousuke's room. The light from her laptop illuminated her face where a frown was present. She had a strange feeling something wasn't right. It was almost as though his emotions were causing ripples in the air that were gently lapping at her skin. Pushing back her chair, she quietly made her way out of her room and went to his. She knocked softly on the door but when she didn't receive a response she began to worry. Something was wrong. She grasped the handle and pushed the door open, "Ryousuke-san?" She whispered not wanting to wake his parents, "Can I come in?" 

No answer.

She pushed the door open wider. The room was bathed in darkness and from what she could see, the bed was empty. She stepped into the room and immediately noticed the open patio doors and the man she was searching for standing against the railing looking out.

Without thinking, she shut the door and made her way across the room, "Ryousuke-san."

The young man turned to her surprised, "You're not sleeping?"

Fukotomi Mitsu shook her head and approached him. He held a lit cigarette between the fingers of his right hand. The pack it originated from and a lighter rested on the balcony railing. She stopped when she stood in front of him and stared up into his face.

His expression was blank as he returned the stare.

Without breaking their gaze, Mitsu gently reached for the cigarette. Her index finger and thumb touched the small roll of tobacco and she gently pulled on it.

He resisted.

Mitsu saw his jaw tighten briefly and then relax, otherwise his expression remained the same. She pulled on the cigarette again and he allowed it, completely releasing it to her. She didn't smile, just simply took it and turned to put it out in the ashtray that was set on a small table beside him. When it was thoroughly put out she turned to him.

He still regarded her with that blank look. Something was really bothering him, for him to be so guarded now. That much she had learned about him. She took a step closer to him until there was no doubt she was breaching his personal space. A personal space she knew he didn't allow anyone to enter except for a very select few. She was still amazed how she had become one of those few.

She wrapped her arms around him and held him close.

He stiffened briefly just as his jaw had tightened, then he relaxed. His arms slowly snaked around her. His head fell atop hers and he shut his eyes.

"What happened tonight Ryousuke?" She whispered as she started stroking his back.

She felt him stiffen again.

"Shh…" She soothed as she pulled him tighter against her body.

Then she felt it.

The restrained anger underneath the calm costume he wore on the outside.

Strong. His muscles bunched coiled, became hard where she touched him.

She lightened her touch and he shivered. But deeper inside she could feel his whole being shaking.

Shaking with a rage he was trying desperately to control.

"It's ok…" Worry engulfed her. Had he always hidden such feelings behind that blank expression?

"They came to Akagi tonight." His voice was even and steady but Mitsu could still feel the anger underneath.

Mitsu remained silent, still holding tightly on to him and passing her hand up and down his back.

"I know it was an accident…" He stopped a moment, finding the strength to control it, "But one should control his vehicle."

Mitsu blinked. The man she had battled Sunday night had gone back to Akagi? Her stroking didn't falter, "He wasn't skilled enough. Not many people are."

Ryousuke sighed suddenly feeling a calmness sneaking into him, slowly bringing relief to the burning anger. It surprised him. He'd been fighting the anger all the way from Akagi, and all it took to bring back his control was a few simple words from her…

How?

He pulled away from her so that he could look at her.

The roar of an engine floated on the breeze that passed between them.

Keisuke.

"You should get some sleep." Ryousuke said softly.

Mitsu nodded and reached up to caress his face. Standing quickly on her tip toes she planted a soft kiss on his cheek, "Good night Ryousuke-san." She bowed her head softly then turned and left him standing on the balcony watching her go.

The young Takahashi frowned when his bedroom door closed. Why did she affect him like this?

The yellow FD appeared below. Ryousuke wiped all signs of emotions from his face then turned and went back into his room. Sliding the glass door of the patio behind him.

* * *

Keisuke turned off the FD and climbed out. He glanced up towards the house. He had gone back inside. He locked the FD and went inside and then quietly made his way to his brother's room. He knocked lightly on the door before pushing it open. 

"Aniki?"

"What is it?"

Keisuke entered the room and closed the door behind him, "Those guys wanted me to give you this."

Ryousuke looked away from his laptop and accepted the small rectangular contact card.

"They want to challenge the Redsuns."

Ryousuke sensed some hesitation in his brother's voice but decided against saying anything about it. He nodded and placed the card down on his desk.

Keisuke was relieved. He couldn't feel any of that strange aura he had gotten from his brother earlier at Akagi. He was just about to take his leave when his eyes landed on the pack of cigarettes and lighter at the far end of his brother's desk.

He thought he smelled smoke!

"You started smoking again?!"

"You should get some rest Keisuke." He resumed his typing.

"Mitsu-chan is not going to like it. You're going to upset her." Keisuke warned.

Ryousuke sighed then grabbed the cigarettes and the lighter and tossed it in the trash by his desk, "Go to bed Keisuke."

Keisuke grunted, "You should too." He frowned. He wasn't the one that had collapsed from exhaustion afterall. He was surprised when his brother smiled and turned to him.

"I will soon Keisuke. Don't worry." His younger brother seemed to relax then as he nodded.

"Good night Aniki."

"Good night." Ryousuke watched as his brother left, closing the door softly behind him. The older brother turned back to his laptop and stared at the screen. He shut his eyes. So tired. But there was still much to get done. He needed to hold out for a few more months. His eyes opened and he leaned forward to immerse himself back into his studies.

* * *

Takahashi Emi slipped the last bobbi pin in her hair and took a final glance in the mirror to make sure she looked every bit the professional she's supposed to be. Satisfied she stepped out of the washroom. 

She stopped in her tracks a moment and stood staring at her husband who was in front of the full length mirror looking down at the tie he was trying to knot. She smiled and walked towards him. She seamlessly slipped between him and the mirror and slipped her fingers among his and looped the tie in a beautiful knot.

Fujimaro smiled and kissed her tenderly like he did every morning after she helped him with this particular task.

Emi smiled and the two of them left the room and headed downstairs.

"Yes. That would be fine."

Emi glanced at her husband as they descended the stairs and heard their eldest son's voice from the kitchen. They rounded the corner and saw Ryousuke leaning against the counter with his cell phone against one ear and his other hand rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"Yes. I understand. Thank you Yukio-san. I appreciate it." He ended his call.

"Good morning sweetheart. Is everything alright?" Emi asked concerned.

Ryousuke's posture straightened, "Good morning." He greeted as he bowed his head in acknowledgement. He turned to his father, "I was followed." He stated and moved to the kitchen table where he picked up the newspaper and handed it to his father. He watched as his mother moved to her husband's side and also looked at the article next to a picture of him after his victory in Motegi.

"They were outside as well." Ryousuke informed them as he moved to the cupboard to pull out four mugs, "The police have just moved them off the property." He carried the mugs to the table and began pouring the coffee.

Fujimaro finished reading the article and passed it to his wife so she could finish reading. He pulled out a chair and sat down as he drew one of the coffee mugs towards him.

"Ohayou." Mitsu entered the kitchen and bowed politely.

"Aa. Morning Mitsu-chan." Emi said glancing up from the newspaper.

"Morning." Fujimaro nodded and motioned for her to sit.

"Hai." She pulled out a chair and Fujimaro motioned to the coffee, "Thank you." She didn't look up at Ryousuke but she felt he was uneasy.

Emi sighed and also sat down. She placed the paper on the table and took the last cup of coffee. A reported had seen her son enter the hospital Sunday night and had stayed to wait for him. When he had finally been released, the reported had followed Ryousuke the whole day, recording all his activities.

Mitsu looked between the two adults. Something was wrong.

"You've contacted the team?"

"Aa." Ryousuke sipped his coffee, "They will prepare a statement."

"Do you want our lawyer to take a look at it?" Emi asked meeting his gaze.

"Statement?" Mitsu repeated getting worried.

Fujimaro nodded and reached over to take the newspaper and pass it to her. He was confident his son would take care of the matter in a professional way.

The young woman's eyes widened as she saw the article and immediately began to read it, "They followed Ryousuke-san…"

"Aa." Fujimaro finished his coffee then got to his feet to put away his mug. He turned to face his son, "You have everything under control?"

"Aa." Ryousuke nodded.

His father studied him for the briefest moment then nodded. He turned to his wife, "Ready?"

Emi nodded and rushed to finish her coffee as she got up and made her way to the sink, "Be careful." She told her son then bid Mitsu farewell and followed her husband out.

When the front door closed, Mitsu lowered the newspaper to the table top and turned to Ryousuke.

"They're outside as well." He informed her.

"Are you going to tell them anything?"

Ryousuke finished the rest of his coffee and turned to her, "Rotary Excellence is going to be making a statement on my behalf. They'll inform the media of the reason for my stay at the hospital and that I have recovered. If they ask about you, Yukio-san will mention that you are part of my family."

"Will that be ok?" Mitsu asked softy.

"Hopefully." Ryousuke met her gaze momentarily then he got up, "We should get going."

"Hai." Mitsu copied his example then they both made their way to the front door.

"Ready?" Ryousuke turned to her.

"Hai. Are you? You're the one they're after afterall." She smiled then, "You're a full blown celebrity now." She watched as one of his brows slowly raised up.

She laughed and touched his arm briefly before she slid out of the kitchen and made her way to the front door.

He joined her a moment later and slid his shoes on. Pulling the front door open he gave her a nod of her head as she passed by him.

They got into the FC and drove down the driveway.

Mitsu's eyes scanned over several media figures standing about the entrance with cameras. They started taking pictures of them as they approached.

"Think they will follow us?"

"That would be a nuisance." Ryousuke replied as they turned onto the road.

Mitsu glanced in the side view mirror, "One of them is getting in his car."

Ryousuke glanced quickly in his rearview mirror.

"He's going to follow us."

Ryousuke sighed, "Nothing we can do."

Mitsu glanced at him briefly and then nodded and turned to look out the window a split second before she moved to turn on the radio.

* * *

"Mitsu-chan! So good to see you again! How are you feeling?" Isamu asked moving to her side and taking a seat. 

"Are you sore?" Genjo asked taking a seat from across her.

Ryousuke took a seat next to Genjo as he watched his friends ask her several questions.

Etsuya took a seat across from him, "You said you weren't with her all day on Monday. But the paper said you never left the hospital." He said softly as he studied his friend.

Ryousuke met his gaze, "I wasn't with her." He stated simply.

Etsuya nodded, "You were resting?"

His friend nodded and turned to forage in his school bag.

"Is everything ok?"

"I simply needed some rest." Ryousuke assured his friend, "Nothing to worry about."

Etsuya frowned. Rest at the hospital? He glanced over at Fukotomi Mitsu. She would know more about it. When his gaze returned to his friend, he was surprised to find him staring at him with a stern gaze. He smiled innocently. So Mitsu definitely knew something. He turned to the young lady.

"Mitsu-chan I was wondering – "

Ryousuke coughed into his hand drawing her attention briefly.

Etsuya glanced at his friend with a smirk then turned to the girl among them again, "Ryousuke stayed at the hospital on Monday right? Was everything ok?"

Mitsu glanced at Ryousuke briefly. She turned back to Etsuya. Genjo and Isamu were now also paying close attention to her, "Ryousuke-san needed some rest. He was exhausted."

"So you just decided to sleep at the hospital?" Isamu frowned, "You really are born to be a doctor…" He teased.

"Doesn't seem like you though." Genjo said thoughtfully.

Etsuya's eyes narrowed as he studied his friend, "How exhausted were you?" He asked softly.

Ryousuke met his gaze steadily.

"I see." Etsuya shook his head.

"What?" Isamu asked looking between his two friends.

"Ryousuke stayed there because he had no choice." Etsuya explained.

"No choice?"

Etsuya glanced at him. Sometimes he really wondered how Isamu was able to keep up with medical school.

Genjo's eyes widened, "You collapsed!"

Ryousuke shut his eyes with a sigh. He rubbed his temples gently sensing a headache developing.

"You what?!?!" Isamu exclaimed turning to him, "Why didn't you tell us?"

"It wasn't serious." Ryousuke explained and turned to his book, hoping they would drop the subject, "Rotary Excellence should have released a statement by now."

"They will?" Isamu asked and his friend nodded.

"Mitsu-chan?" Genjo queried.

"He was just exhausted and a dehydrated." Mitsu explained cautiously. She gave them a reassuring smile then pointed to her textbook, "So could someone explain this to me? I still find it confusing."

"What is it?" Isamu pulled the book towards him and Genjo peered over at it as well.

"Are you fully recovered?" Etsuya asked.

"Aa."

"Good."

The two friends exchange looks. Etsuya smiled then searched his bag for his lunch.

* * *

It's been sooooo long that I had to re-read everything to know what the heck I was writing... 

See a discrepency? Please let me know.

Life is short... You might not see the one standing next to you tomorow. Hug them. Let them know they are apreciated. Because that's what you'll regret not doing if you never get to see them again...

With Love,

CelicaChick.

P.S. Thanks for your Patience, your encouragement and your dedication.


	34. Chapter 34: The Conscious Suicidal Drift

**Chapter** **34 – The Conscious Suicidal Drift**

The next day was a little bothersome for Ryousuke. By then everyone had heard about his stay at the hospital from the news or the papers and it seemed like everyone wanted to know how he was. He was glad when the day finally came to an end.

Mitsu saw the tension leave Takahashi Ryousuke's posture as he shut the front door of the house. She touched his arm gently and offered him a sympathetic smile, "I'll make some tea." She removed her hand from him and moved into the kitchen.

Ryousuke watched her a moment then decided to go up to his room. He needed… Something… Frowning he made his way upstairs and to his room. Placing his bag on his desk he glanced around his room as he undid the top button of his dress shirt. He shut his eyes briefly and took a deep breath in an attempt to relax his body. When he opened then again he moved to his desk and emptied his bag.

"Ryousuke-san?" Mitsu was at the door with two cups of tea. When he turned to her she stepped through the open door and handed him one of the cups.

"Aa. Thank you." He sipped it and relished in the hot liquid making it's way down his throat and into his tight stomach.

Mitsu watched him a moment. The tea was a good idea she concluded, "Your welcome." She turned and walked out of his room to go to hers.

Ryousuke stood where he was sipping his tea. His eyes landed on his textbooks and he felt like sighing. Glancing towards his open door again he decided to grab his text and head towards Mitsu's room. Keisuke wasn't home and Tsugumi wouldn't be staying over with them this week, and his parents wouldn't be back for another couple hours. He knocked softly on her open door.

"Hai!"

Ryousuke stepped inside, "Want some company?"

Mitsu looked up from her book, "Sure." At her response she was surprised to see him nod and leave her room again. She smiled when he returned rolling his chair into her room, "I was wondering where you were going."

* * *

Takahashi Tsugumi waved to her friend and her mother before she walked up the driveway towards the house. Ryousuke was home. She smiled as she saw the back of his car at the side of the house. Pulling out the key from her backpack she unlocked the door and went inside. She slipped off her shoes and into the slippers Emi had bought her and walked over to peak into the kitchen. 

Empty.

She frowned, "What am I thinking. They're probably both studying…" She made her way up the stairs and was just about to call her cousin's name when she heard Mitsu-chan's laughter. She slowed as she approached her cousin's open bedroom door. Peeking inside she found it empty. Curious she tiptoed towards Mitsu's room just as she heard it's owner speak.

"So do you want children?"

Tsugumi froze. Then covered her mouth to prevent herself from giggling. Was she asking Ryousuke that?!?! For some reason it was hard to imagine Ryousuke baby talking.

"Eventually I think I will." Her cousin replied.

Tsugumi leaned against the wall.

"Do you?"

This was interesting. Her stoic cousin having a conversation about having children with a woman he was betrothed to.

"After my career is settled, yes. I would. Would have to be at least two." She added after a beat.

"Why is that?"

Her cousin sounded amused.

"Because if I had only one then she or he would get lonely."

"Speaking from experience?"

"Aa. Wasn't it nice for you to have Keisuke-kun around?"

"Aa." They were silent a moment and Tsugumi was about to move into sight when her cousin spoke again.

"It's hard to raise children when both parents are working. Especially as doctors."

"Yes, but our parents managed. And so shall we."

There was another moment of silence.

"I mean , we, not as 'we' US. I mean we as in you and I separately whenever we have children. I mean not together…"

Tsugumi almost burst out laughing as she listened to Mitsu-chan stumble to explain herself.

Ryousuke chuckled, "I know what you meant."

"And you let me embarrass myself like that!?!?"

Her cousin's chuckle could be heard again, "It was amusing."

A sound that could have been a body being slapped was heard. Did Mitsu just hit her cousin?

"Thanks…" Mitsu said sarcastically.

"Pleasure." There was laughter in the reply.

Tsugumi was smiling as she listened to her favourite cousin and Fukotomi Mitsu. It was amazing to hear Ryousuke just having a random conversation where he was laughing with anyone aside from Keisuke, Hyobe and sometimes Fumihiro. He sounded at ease and most importantly he sounded happy. She waited a little longer to see if they would continue but when the silence continued she figured they had resumed doing what they do best. Study. So she decided it was safe to make her presence known.

"Hey guys-" She froze in the door way and her eyes widened in shock as she watched Ryousuke and Mitsu pull away from the kiss they were sharing, equally shocked. A deep blush quickly spread across Mitsu's cheek.

"Tsugumi." Ryousuke spoke nodding his head in welcome, "I wasn't aware you were joining us this week."

"Mom and Dad had to leave a few hours ago. I didn't get time to get my stuff." She looked between her cousin and Mitsu curiously.

Mitsu gave her an embarrassed smile.

The small action snapped Tsugumi out of her stupor and she fell into a deep bow, "I'm So sorry! I didn't know you guys were-" Her eyes seemed to widen even more, "You guys were Kissing!" Her gaze bounced between her cousin and Mitsu repeatedly.

"Tsugumi." Ryousuke was stern. Her gaze stopped on him.

"You were kissing Mitsu-chan!"

Ryousuke flinched slightly, "Tsugumi…"

The teenager raised her hands in the air in surrender a smile suddenly gracing her face, "This is great!"

"Tsugumi…" Ryousuke pinched the bridge of his nose.

"What?" She couldn't understand why her cousin seemed to be fretting, "It's great that the two of you finally realized you liked each other! It was painful to see you guys dance around each other all the time." She walked up to them and turned to hug Mitsu, "I'm so happy for you!"

Mitsu returned the hug lightly as she met Ryousuke's gaze.

Tsugumi pulled away, "So when did this happen? Keisuke never mentioned anything the last time I spoke to him. That moron!"

"That's because he doesn't know Tsugumi." Ryousuke exclaimed.

The teenager looked at him confused, "He doesn't know?" That was strange. Ryousuke hadn't told his brother. She turned to Mitsu who nodded.

"Why wouldn't you tell him you guys were dating?" Tsugumi frowned, "He'd want to know Ryousuke."

Ryousuke sighed, "We're not dating."

The teenager stared dead panned. Her gaze bounced between the couple again. Not dating?

"I'm confused." She admitted, "But you two were-"

"Tsugumi-" Ryousuke cut off the rest of his cousin's sentence, "It's complicated."

"But you guys like each other right? So I don't understand. Why is it complicated? Because of the betrothal? Ryousuke it's just-"

She stopped when she saw him stiffen and his jaw set firmly. She glanced at Mitsu who had also turned away. She too was sitting arrow straight.

"There's nothing to discus Tsugumi." Ryousuke turned and gathered his laptop and books from Mitsu's desk and stood up, "I believe you have homework to do. Let's go."

Tsugumi was still frowning. She turned to Fukotomi Mitsu who had her back towards her still, "I'm sorry Mitsu-chan. I didn't mean to upset you." She bowed solemly.

Mitsu turned to the teenager and reached out to touch her arm. When Tsugumi looked up at her with worry clearly visible on her face, she smiled softly, "Don't worry. You should go study."

"Tsugumi." Ryousuke called for attention.

She turned to him, "Hai." She nodded politely and rushed out of the room.

Ryousuke watched her go then turned to let out a sigh. He hadn't been prepared to be confronted with his relationship with Mitsu.

Suddenly he felt her hand slip into his and give it a gentle squeeze. He turned to look at her as he gently held her hand back.  
"I'm sorry." He bowed his head apologetically.

"You don't need to be." She smiled up at him, "Take it easy on her."

A small smile re-appeared on Ryousuke's face, "Maybe I should let you handle this."

"But you're her cousin."

"But it might be better coming from another woman."

Mitsu shook her head but she was smiling, "Don't try to get out of your family duties Takahashi Ryousuke."

Ryousuke's brow flew up in amusement.

"You should go now." Mitsu continued smiling.

Ryousuke nodded and glanced towards the door. He then quickly leaned down to plant a kiss on her lips, "There's some family duties that I'm not prepared to go through with." He breathed gently as he pulled away from her. Their eyes met.

Mitsu leaned forward and kiss him back, "Me neither." She squeezed his hand and released it, "If you don't hurry she's going to be asking you more questions."

"Aa." He took a resolute step away from her and bowed politely before he turned and left her room.

Mitsu watched him leave then she turned to look down at the open text book on her desk. A heavy sigh escaped her. What was she getting herself into? There was no way for this 'attraction' they were sharing to develop any further. If it continued the future only promised disaster for both of them. She touched her lips slightly before dropping her hand back onto her desk. But the feeling she had when she was with him… Warmth filled her at the thought of him. When had he started causing this reaction in her? She shook her head. What was she going to do? She sighed again. It was so easy to tell herself what she should do when she was alone but as soon as he came into her space, or when he filled her mind, all her sensible thinking seemed to evaporate and the only thing she could see clearly was him.

"Baka! Baka! Baka!" She whispered to herself. How could this have happened!?!?

* * *

Ryousuke took a silent breath before he entered the kitchen where Tsugumi looked up from her exercise book unsurely. He walked towards the table and pulled out a chair and taking a seat next to her.

"I'm Sorry Ryousuke-kun."

Ryousuke turned to her cousin and took in her worried expression. He nodded and he turned to the books he had placed on the table, "Things are a little confusing right now Tsugumi." He pulled open the textbook.

"But why? Don't you like Mitsu-chan?"

Ryousuke turned to his cousin, "Aa."

"And she makes you happy. I know she does. Because you don't act like you were upstairs with just anyone. And you don't talk about such personal subjects with many people either." Tsugumi stopped to study him, "It's just a piece of paper Ryousuke. And in some ways kind of romantic."

She saw the tension take over his body as soon as the Will had been mentioned.

"There is nothing romantic about it Tsugumi." His gaze lowered to the textbook, "Having people plot and plan your personal life and dictate who you will marry without giving you a choice. Having decisions about your life drawn out and agreed upon with people that you hardly know and all behind your back. I feel greatly betrayed and untrusted."

Tsugumi stared at him speechless. She had no idea her cousin was feeling this way. She scooted her chair closer to him and wrapped her arms around him, "I won't say anything Ryousuke-kun. I've always trusted you. Just be happy ok? You always do stuff for other people, so I guess it's good that you are doing something you want to do now." She released him, "Oh! By the way, CONGRATULATIONS! I saw clips of your race on the news! You were AWESOME!" She exclaimed her demeanor changing completely.

Ryousuke nodded, "Thank you." He tapped her textbook, "Time to get back to your studies."

Tsugumi frowned, "Ok ok." She moved her chair back to its original position, "I'm glad it's Mitsu-chan."

Ryousuke turned to his cousin. He was about to correct her when she turned to him.

"No matter what you guys are or will be, she makes you happy and she's so nice. I like her."

"I think you should start thinking about your studies Tsugumi." He said tapping her book sternly.

"Hai!" She turned to her book for a minute then looked up at her cousin again, "Ugh! You should take better care of yourself Ryousuke!" She exclaimed anger showing suddenly.

The young man turned to her unfazed by her shifting emotions.

"How could you let yourself get run down like that?!?!" She exclaimed recalling the news about her cousin's collapse.

"I'm fine now Tsugumi. It wasn't serious. I was just a little tired."

"A little?!?!? You collapsed from exhaustion!" She folded her arms across her chest unhappily.

Ryousuke sighed. It had been a tough week, "I'll be careful. I usually am." He met his cousin's gaze.

"Promise?"

"Aa. Promise."

Tsugumi uncrossed her arms and smiled relieved, "I don't want anything to happen to you."

"I know." He offered her a smile then tapped her textbook.

"Hai!"

They sat in silence reading their school texts.

"Maybe Mitsu-chan would like to join us."

Ryousuke continued to read his book.

"Please? It's like having a sister around!"

"Hurry up." Ryousuke yielded glancing only briefly at her, "But then you have to study seriously. Understood?"

"Hai!" She jumped to her feet and jogged out of the kitchen.

He opened his mouth to tell her to walk but she was already out of sight and rushing up the stairs. He rubbed his temples with a sigh. How many times had he sighed in the past few minutes he wondered curiously. He turned his attention back to his book. He had to regain control over his body's reactions.

"Back!" Tsugumi exclaimed entering the kitchen followed by Mitsu-chan who bowed her head politely and followed the teenager's example and sat down at the table with her books.

The next few hours found the three of them studying silently together with the occasional explanations by Ryousuke to Tsugumi or Mitsu-chan to Tsugumi. The teenager found it amusing how her cousin and Mitsu avoided speaking to each other in front of her.

It was in this formation at the table that Emi and Fujimaro found them when they returned home.

"Tsugumi, I didn't know you were coming today!" Takahashi Emi exclaimed smiling as she walked into the kitchen.

"Hai. My parents got called away this morning."

"I see." She turned to her husband, "Why don't we order something for dinner today?"

"Aa." Fujimaro nodded in agreement.

"Tsugumi, I'll take you home so you can pick up the things you need." Ryousuke said as he piled his books and stood up.

"Hai!" The teenager did the same and followed her cousin out of the kitchen.

"How are you feeling Mitsu-chan?" Fujimaro asked turning to her.

"I'm much better thank you. Would you like some tea?"

"Oh I'll get it. You rest your ankle sweety." Emi said placing her handbag on the chair Ryousuke had vacated and went to boil some water.

* * *

Ryousuke stopped the FC in front of the front door to his house an hour later, after taking his cousin to her home so she could pack. 

"You're not coming in?" Tsugumi asked surprised.

"I have to go see Hyobe. I'll be home a little later." He offered her a smile, "Make sure to review your algebra. I'm going to test you when I get back."

"Aww Ryousuke!" She frowned unhappily.

"If you do well, you can have an hour off tomorrow."

"A whole hour?" She raised her brow unsurely.

Ryousuke chuckled, "A whole hour." He nodded.

"Fine." She pushed open the door and climbed out of the car. She was about to close the door when she peaked in, "Be careful."

"Aa." Ryousuke nodded and watched as his cousin closed the door and head into the house. He placed the FC into gear and turned around to head down the driveway again.

* * *

Hyobe pulled open his door knowing full well who would be there, "Hey. Come in." He stepped aside and watched as his friend stepped into the garage, "How are you feeling?" 

"Better." Ryousuke pulled a small folded paper from his pocket and held it out to his friend, "Would you be able to get me these parts?"

Hyobe gave him a curious look as he took hold of the paper and unfolded it. Parts for a SW20, "She's going to have it fixed?"

"She doesn't know it's being fixed." Ryousuke went to the couch and sat down.

"Hold on a second. What do you mean she doesn't know?" He came around to stand in front of his friend. Their eyes met.

"She decided to let it go."

"Then why do you need these?" He raised the list to eye level.

"She's only letting it go because it's the most logical thing to do."

"Exactly. So why are you having it fixed?" Hyobe asked very curious now. His very logical minded friend was acting quite unlike himself.

"Because she's very attached to it." Ryousuke answered meeting his gaze.

"I see." So although Mitsu had made a logical choice, Ryousuke for the first time since he had known him was going against logic. For her… Hyobe couldn't help the smile that appeared on his face. But to save his friend's pride he made no further comment on it and turned to the list again, "Give me a few days to get all of it." He placed the list down by his laptop, "Who are you having do the repairs?"

"Me."

Hyobe looked up upon receiving this answer. Ryousuke already had his back turned to him and was making his way over to the sofa where he sat down. With school, the Redsuns and Project D where the heck was he going to find time? His friend's collapse came to mind. He was exhausted.

"I'll help you."

"Aa." Ryousuke replied glancing back, "Thank you." He saw Hyobe nod then turned back in his seat.

Hyobe studied his friend a moment longer before turning back to his laptop. He sensed Ryousuke needed some quiet time to himself. He glanced up again. His friend was sitting on the couch one leg crossed over the other with one hand resting on the armrest and the other in his lap. He was staring blankly at the coffee table. Something had happened and if Ryousuke was like this, then it meant that he was still contemplating how to resolve or deal with whatever happened. He walked over to his designated kitchen and boiled some water. As he waited for it, he went back to his laptop and continued to work on his design, taking occasional glances at his friend. When he heard the soft click of the kettle, he poured the water over a pot containing tea leaves. He allowed it to sit a while and returned to his laptop.

Ryousuke had not moved a muscle.

A couple minutes later he went back to the pot of tea and filled two mugs which he carried over to his friend.

"Here." He held the mug out before his friend.

Ryousuke blinked and glanced up at him before he accepted the mug, "Aa. Thank you."

Hyobe nodded and took a seat on the sofa to his side. He sipped his tea silently and waited to see if his guest would speak.

When his tea was almost done, Ryousuke spoke.

"How's the engine?"

"Still ironing out minor details."

Ryousuke nodded and finished his tea.

"More?"

His friend shook his head and got up to put away the mug, "I have to go." He turned to Hyobe who had followed him, "Let me know when the parts arrive."

"Aa." He continued to follow his friend to the door and watched as he stepped outside, "Oye, Ryousuke."

The stoic young man turned to him as he pulled his car keys from his pocket.

Hyobe debated bringing up the conversation they had had in the hotel at Tochigi the night before his professional race. But then he recalled the blank look his friend had when he sat in his workshop and decided against adding more stress on him.

"Come see me again soon, when you've got time." He hinted that he really wanted to see him again.

Ryousuke nodded, "Good night Hyobe."

"Aa." He watched as Takahashi Ryousuke climbed into the white FC and drove off, "Hope everything is ok…" He sighed and shut the door.

* * *

Ryousuke closed his bedroom door and went to put away his clothes. The hot shower had felt good but it had not taken the feeling of tension that still remained grappled to his shoulders. He glanced over at his desk at the books and his laptop. He walked over to the door and flicked off the light then he uncharacteristically turned to his bed and turned down the covers. Climbing under the duvet, he laid down and stared up at the ceiling. He had needed to get away for a couple of hours to think, but no answer came to mind. What had he gotten himself into? 

He frowned. 'This is what happens when you let your guard down' he thought bitterly. There was no positive outcome to the path he had chosen… No. That he had allowed himself to take. Why had he taken it? It was completely out of character for him to do something that was so disadvantageous. And liking Fukotomi Mitsu was definitely disadvantageous… He sighed… He couldn't seem to pull away from her…. And if he didn't… Well there wasn't any possible future… They would have to end eventually…

He knew what he had to do. He was wasting his time and putting his emotions on the line… But still something kept eating away deep down within him, taking down the solid wall he had built around himself.

He sighed. Why wasn't his body obeying his mind's reasoning anymore?!?!

He was surprised when a groan came from him. His eyes shot open. He was becoming so undisciplined. He was sure it was because of her.

Damn it.

He closed his eyes and tried to ease his body into a relaxed state. He concentrated on his breathing. In and Out… In and out… Visualizing the air entering his lungs diffusing through the walls of his capillaries into his veins then to the arteries before branching into more veins and capillaries.

His body became heavy and he felt himself relaxing into the mattress. Deep breaths…

_"You're in Love."  
_  
His eyes shot open for the second time and his breathing caught in his throat as Hyobe's words suddenly repeated itself in his mind. His chest ached. And just as suddenly, as though his body realized he needed to breath, he took a deep wavering breath and continued to do so. He sat up and dropped his head in his hands.

He couldn't be… Could he?

Hyobe.

He reached towards the night table and grabbed his cell phone and flipped it open. His thumb lingered over the number pad. What would he say? He flipped the cell phone shut and returned it to his night table.

Think! He had to do something… This couldn't be… It just couldn't… Not this fast… Not without him knowing…

Damn it! When did it happen?

Ryousuke growled low in his throat and turned to muffle the sound in his pillow. A moment later he was staring at the wall that separated his room from Mitsu's. Without thinking, he slid out of his bed and quietly made his way out of the room and down into the kitchen.

Mitsu was messaging some friends back in Tokyo while her homework lay ignored beside her. They were asking her about her betrothal which she finally decided to tell them about. She avoided mentioning Ryousuke's name simply telling them that the man was the son of a family friend. She was surprised when none of them guessed however… Perhaps they already knew? One of them suddenly asked how she was getting along with Ryousuke-san. She stared at the screen a moment as she debated how she would answer. She finally decided to tell them that they 'seemed to be understanding each other a lot better nowadays'.

She was waiting to see what they would say when there came a knock at her door. She stared at it a moment before she slowly got to her feet and limped towards it and pulled it open. Her eyes locked with Takahashi Ryousuke's.

He lifted something to eye level, "For your ankle."

Mitsu smiled politely and stepped aside, pulling the door open for him to come inside.

Ryousuke took a quick survey of the room before he turned to Mitsu who had closed the door softly and was now walking towards him.

He motioned towards the bed, "Sit down."

She wasn't fazed by his stern tone, "You didn't have to bring all this Ryousuke-san."

"You should take better care of it." He stated as Mitsu sat down and raised her foot on the bed. She slipped off her socks shyly.

Ryousuke approached the bed and gently wrapped the ice pack he was carrying in the thin hand towel he had also brought, then gently pressed it to her ankle.

"Thank you."

Ryousuke nodded.

Mitsu shifted slightly, "I've been thinking a lot since Tsugumi-chan caught us this afternoon."

He sighed, "Aa." He met her gaze, "So have I." He sat down on the bed by Mitsu's ankle.

"Ryousuke-san, nothing could come of us…" The betrothal made sure of that. Neither one of them was willing to give in to it and allow their lives to be controlled to such an extent.

"Aa."

Mitsu sighed and reached out to take his hand, "But I can't seem to stop thinking about you…"

Ryousuke found himself holding back her hand and stroking the soft skin with his thumb, "The probability of a negative outcome is almost guaranteed." He informed her softly.

"I know."

"It would be best for us to end this now."

"Hai." Came the soft reply. She stared at their two hands, fingers entwined.

Why was it so hard for her to pull away from him. Just take your hand from his. That was all she had to do… But her hand stayed sheltered in his.

As though reading her mind Ryousuke spoke, "I can't seem to let you go." His voice was whisper soft.

Mitsu's eyes raised up to meet his. Sadness stared back at her. She scooted closer to him, the ice pack falling from her ankle as she did so, and wrapped her arms around him, "Me neither…"

Ryousuke's hand slipped from hers only to find its way to her head where his long fingers combed through her hair.

When she looked at him, he smiled in a way that could only be described as shyly, before he touched his lips to hers.

He was gentle, savouring.

Mitsu felt her whole body melting in his, all her muscles seemed to be turning to putty as she leaned into him for support. To her dismay he drew back and stared down at her before leaning his head against hers and shutting his eyes.

"I don't want to hurt you…"

Mitsu reached up to touch his face, "I don't want to hurt you either." He had been hurt enough already.

They sighed simultaneously.

Ryousuke chuckled and pulled away. He was amazed how much they seemed to be able to understand each other. He reached for the ice pack and placed it back on her ankle.

"Ryousuke-san?"

"Hmm?"

Mitsu took his hand again and played with his fingers, "If we let this continue perhaps there's a chance things will change and this could end all on its own and neither of us will be hurt."

Ryousuke studied her carefully. Was she trying to ignore the problem?

"There's always that possibility."

She met his gaze, "But the results is not assured."

"It's not." He confirmed. In fact he could guarantee one of them would be hurt. No. It was too late to think that they would both come out of this unscathed. The direction his thoughts had turned to confirmed this. But he couldn't bring himself to tell her this truth.

Mitsu slowly entwined her fingers between his and moved closer to him until his arms wrapped snugly around her and his chin rested atop her head.

"Let's see what happens." He whispered softly. His heart beat hitched a notch as he surprised himself with the declaration. He was digging himself into a deeper hole. Soon he'd have one big enough to be his grave.

He felt her nod against his chest, "Hn."

They remained in each others embrace a little longer. Both knowing their time was limited and each passing moment could be the last. They were silent. Relishing in each other's warmth. Thinking. Knowing. Knowing that their decision would leave them with broken hearts. Yet despite this knowledge, they couldn't seem to draw themselves away from each other.

Ryousuke pulled away again, "It's been ten minutes." And pulled the ice pack off her ankle.

Mitsu laughed lightly as she watched him fold the towel and get to his feet.

Their eyes met.

"I should go." The eldest Takahashi son bowed his head politely, "Good night Mitsu-chan."

"Aa. Goodnight." She watched as he made his way to the door and quietly left her alone in her room. She fell back onto the bed with a disgruntled sigh, "What am I doing?!?!?" She never used to have problems figuring out what was best and then taking action. But when it came to Takahashi Ryousuke… She sighed… Common sense and rationality seemed to abandon her.

* * *

The rest of the week went by very quickly. Mitsu was so busy making sure she was caught up and at least a few chapters ahead in her reading that she had not gone to see any of the Redsun's practice or Keisuke's solo practice runs. She barely even saw Ryousuke apart from their drive together in the mornings, and then their drive home together. During lunch time he had been disappearing off to the library to read extra material he thought would come in handy for his practicum. When they got home, Ryousuke usually made his way straight to his room. He had a lot of simulations that he needed to get out of his head and entered into his laptop and a lot of studying to keep himself among the top of the class. Despite all the work he needed to get done, the thought of Fukotomi Mitsu in the room just beyond his always lingered somewhere in his mind. Sometimes he'd catch himself tearing his eyes away from his laptop or text book and staring at the wall that separated them. During those times he would mentally slap himself and force himself to concentrate on everything that needed his attention.  
Ryousuke piled his books and pushed them to the corner of his desk before closing his laptop and slipping it into his bag. He grabbed his car keys and jacket, with his bag slung over his shoulder and left his room. 

He was walking towards the front door when his name was called out.

"Ryousuke."

The young man shut his eyes briefly as he schooled his perfected look of indifference and walked into the kitchen.

His parents were sitting at the table drinking tea.

"Keisuke is racing tonight?" Emi asked looking up at him.

He nodded.

"Tell him to be careful."

Ryousuke nodded again.

Fujimaro was studying his son. He was arrow straight, "How are you feeling?"

Ryousuke turned to him, "How should I be feeling?" The moment the words were said he felt like smacking himself, "I'm fine father." He bowed his head, "Please excuse me." He stepped back.

"Ryousuke."

The young man stopped in his tracks and met his father's gaze steadily.

"We need to talk about this."

"I have to go."

"Don't take this out on Mitsu-chan. It's not her fault. It's ours."

Ryousuke bit his tongue, "I know." He turned quickly away and walked out of the room. He scolded himself for slipping as he did. He knew exactly why that comment had come out as it did. They seemed to be telling him what to do in other aspects of his life, so why not dictate how he felt as well? He slipped on his shoes and stepped out of the house. He turned and stared at the door. Damn them!

"Aniki, we're ready."

Ryousuke turned to his brother and nodded, "Good."

Keisuke studied him a moment, "Were you staring at the door?"

"No." The older brother walked pass him and to the side of the house where everyone was gathered by the cars and the support vans. He saw Fukotomi Mitsu chatting with Matsumoto from the corner of his eyes as he approached Fumihiro. He gave his friend a nod.

"Ok everyone. Let's get going!" Fumihiro ordered. The two friends watched as everyone got into a vehicle.

Ryousuke nodded and climbed into the passenger side of the van with Fumihiro getting into the driver's seat.

"How are you feeling?"

Ryousuke glanced at him quickly before turning to look out the window at all the other vehicles, "Fine." He glanced at his watch. "We should be there in two hours. That will give them enough time to adapt to the course."

Fumihiro nodded.

"We'll take next weekend off. I'd like the FD to have a full tune up."

"Hai. I'll be there." He drove in silence a while, "Mitsu-chan is looking well."

"Hn."

"So how's life with a girl in the house?"

Ryousuke glanced at him. What was this? "You forget my cousin stays with us quite often."

"Ah! I forgot. So I guess it must be like having two sisters in the house."

Ryousuke turned his full gaze on him, "There's something you want to ask me."

Fumihiro turned to his friend and chuckled, "I don't know why I still try to beat around the bush with you."

Ryousuke continued to study him.

"About Fukotomi Mitsu?"

Fumihiro glanced at him and nodded.

The friends were silent as one continued to drive and the other studied him.

"I can see that Keisuke and her get along well. But you and her, I mean you guys seem to get along but there's this weird aura around the two of you. Sometimes it feels like a forced politeness or I don't know something different altogether." He turned to see Ryousuke's reaction but the man was staring out the front windshield.

The dark hair Takahashi absorbed his friend's words silently.

"I mean it's different than that cool attitude you have with people. With her… It's different somehow. It's like you keep her away but at the same time you let her in your inner circle of friends. I don't know it's really hard to explain."

"Fumihiro."

"Hmm?"

Ryousuke steeled his nerves. Everyone would eventually find out anyway and Fumihiro was supposed to be one of his closest friends. He glanced at his friend, "Fukotomi Mitsu and I have been betrothed to each other." He stated in a monotone voice.

Fumihiro's eyes widened, "Betrothed?!? As in an arranged marriage?" His friend nodded, "A legal one?" He found his voice to be only slightly above a whisper.

"Aa."

"Since when?" He couldn't seem to raise his voice to a normal pitch.

"We found out two Sundays ago."

Fumihiro looked over at his friend's stiff posture as he stared straight ahead, "This wasn't something you agreed to right?"

"Of course not." There was no anger in the reply.

Silence filled the van.

Takahashi Ryousuke and Fukotomi Mitsu were betrothed?

"I know that arranged marriages still happen occasionally in wealthier families but," He glanced at his friend, "I thought your parents were more modern."

"There has never been any signs that they were planning one until…" He frowned, "Until Mitsu-chan's family came."

"So what are you going to do?"

"Ryousuke sighed, "I'm not sure. I've been doing some research but so far it has been inconclusive."

"I see. But you have no intention of going through with it?"

"So you can see why there might be some 'tension' between her and I."

"But sometimes you're really attentive to her."

"Of course Fumihiro. My parents are her legal guardians now. She's part of my family. I can't simply ignore her."

"Aa. You're right."

"This is not something I want everyone to know about."

"Aa. Of course not. You guys don't need it to become anymore complicated."

"Aa. Thank you."

Fumihiro only smiled in response. His mind was still processing all that he had just learned. Ryousuke and Mitsu-chan betrothed…

* * *

Keisuke stepped out of his car and stretched. 

Across from him Mitsu was already taking in their surroundings.

"This is different…" She turned to Keisuke confused.

"You got that right." He motioned to the his right, "Go take a look over three."

"Why? What's over there?"

Keisuke chuckled, "Go find out. We're just going to practice for a couple of hours now anyway."

"Is it far?"

"Nah. About a ten minute walk."

Mitsu's brow raised curiously. Keisuke had this small smirk on his face.

"Go on." He made a shooing motion with his hand.

Mitsu frowned and then shook her head, "Ok, I'll be back to see your battle."

Keisuke nodded and gave her a quick wave before she turned and walked off towards the parking lot where a trail opened up. He watched her a moment before he turned to where he knew his Aniki would be. A large smile came over his face but he quickly bit it back and strolled over to him.

Ryousuke turned to him as he approached, "75 only for the first hour. We'll make any adjustments after your first run." He turned to make sure Takumi understood. The teenager nodded and went off to his car. He turned to his brother when he didn't also leave.

Keisuke approached glancing towards Fumihiro for a moment before turning back to his brother who was quietly waiting.

"Oye Aniki, Mitsu-chan asked me to tell you she wanted to have a word with you." He noticed his brother's indifferent look, "She said it was important."

Keisuke was glad when his brother nodded, "Get going. You're wasting time."

"Got it." He turned to leave.

"Keisuke."

The blond stopped, "Huh?"

"Where is she?"

Keisuke smiled, "Oh. She went that way." He pointed in the direction he had shown Mitsu, "Ok I'm off!" he quickly made his exit. When he was in his FD again he glanced over at his brother who was just saying something to Fumihiro and then started in the direction Mitsu-chan had taken. He chuckled, "They're going to kill me when they find out."

He turned the car around and started back down the road. It had almost been a whole week now and nothing seemed to have improved between his brother and Mitsu. It was time they got a push. With one last glance in the rear view mirror he turned to focus on the road. He hoped if that Bhudda really granted miracles, that He's do one for his Aniki and Fukotomi Mitsu…

* * *

Ryousuke slowed his pace when the large Buddha came into view. Fukotomi Mitsu stood before it staring up. She glanced back at the sound of his footsteps on the loose gravel path. 

"They're all set?" She asked as he came to stand beside her.

"They're just starting now." He met her gaze, "Keisuke said you wished to speak with me?"

Her gaze caught his.

"I didn't…" She didn't continue.

He sighed. He should have known. With that sloppily concealed smile that Keisuke had on his face… He shook his head then looked up at the Buddha.

"Him and Satoro…" Mitsu whispered. She turned to the Buddha.

"People come here from all over Japan to pray for miracles." Ryousuke said without taking his eyes off the huge statue of the God.

"Hn."

They stood in silence.

Ryousuke closed his eyes and asked for whatever higher power that existed to help him get out of his unwanted situation. If only his parents could and would somehow override that Will…

Unknown to him, Fukotomi Mitsu was asking for the same thing. She also hoped their decision to be together for the moment wouldn't leave Ryousuke hurt beyond repair.

She knew asking him to be with her when they both knew they wouldn't allow themselves to fully be together was selfish. She felt weak, unable to resist having him for the moment. Even with the knowledge that they would be hurt, she couldn't find the strength to resist him.If this continued, she was going to hurt him and hurting him was the last thing she wanted to do.

She opened her eyes. They were being irrational. Letting themselves get involved with each other knowing they would not fully allow it in the end. Then hoping that they would grow apart by the hands of some natural force. The logical thing would have been to either sever any emotional ties that might be forming or to give in to those emotions until they reached fruition. But her Pride, she glanced at Ryousuke, and his pride, was completely against the last option.

The sound of the hachiroku's engine approaching snapped both of then to attention and they turned to each other.

"I told Fumihiro about the Betrothal."

Mitsu looked surprised a moment then nodded.

"He won't say anything. He knows I value privacy."

She nodded, "I trust you."

Their eyes met and held a moment.

Ryousuke took a step closer to her and brushed back her hair, "I have to go. Be careful." Ryousuke said softly.

"Hn." She nodded then watched as he turned and walked back up the path. She turned back to the statue and wondered how many of the prayers that were made here actually came true.

"I need to be strong and just let him go…" She whispered as she stared up at the statue. The image of his intense eyes bored into her memory. How she was going to find the strength, she had no idea. Her shoulders squared and she turned and walked back up the path to the parking lot.

Both Takumi-kun and Keisuke-kun were standing beside their cars speaking to the mechanics. She looked about not knowing what to do. She didn't want to bother Project D's two Ace's so she went to join Fumihiro who was standing by Ryousuke who had slid the side door of the van open and was sitting in the doorway with his laptop on his lap.

"How are they doing?"

"They made their first set of adjustments." He glanced at his watch, "I'm guessing more people will start arriving soon."

"They can keep practicing until the others arrive." Ryousuke said without looking up from his laptop.

Mitsu glanced at him briefly then turned to Fumihiro, "Others?"

The man smiled, "Tonight's battle is going to be a little different."

Mitsu was going to ask what he meant by different when Matsumoto strolled over, "Hey Fukotomi-chan. I haven't been able to speak to you yet. How are you?" He was smiling as he joined them.

"I'm well, thank you. And yourself?"

"Good." The man glanced at Ryousuke then turned to Mitsu again. She had a curious look on her face.

"Is something wrong?"

Matsumoto chuckled, "Not exactly. I saw Ryousuke-san go and check on you. Everything alright?"

Mitsu tilted her head slightly, "Oh yes. I think there was a misunderstanding by Keisuke-kun that's all."

"Keisuke?" Matsumoto's eyes widened.

"Hn." Mitsu was nodding.

"Matsumoto, Keisuke is returning." Ryousuke stated without looking up from his work.

"Oh! Hai!" He took off just as the FD appeared. Was Keisuke trying to influence Fukotomi Mitsu and his brother? He came to stand by the FD as the young Takahashi stepped out, "I think I'm good."

"Aa. Hey I just spoke to Fukotomi-chan, and she said you had a misunderstanding about her and Ryousuke-san?"

Keisuke laughed, "Is that what she said?" He glanced at her.

Mitsu was looking at him and waved before she stuck out her tongue at him.

"Haha, Yeah I was just bugging her a bit."

Matsumoto frowned, "Are you two…"

"No. She's like my sister! Sheesh."

Another thought came to Keisuke's mind and he smirked, "You thought I was helping Satoro-san with his bet?"

Matsumoto's eyes widened, "You know about the bet?"

"Fumihiro let it slip."

"Does Ryousuke-san know?"

Keisuke smiled, "Not yet." He chuckled, "I'll give you guys some time before I spoil the fun. Or knowing my Aniki he may simply figure it out by himself."

"Keisuke." Ryousuke's voice called out, "Stop wasting time."

"Hai!" The blond yelled back then looked at the mechanic, "Time to go." He pulled open the FD's door.

"Keisuke, Is Ryousuke-san and Fukotomi-chan…" He wasn't sure how he should describe it.

The younger man smiled, "We all have to wait and see." He climbed into the FD and took off. He chuckled to himself as he passed the Hachiroku on the road, "Poor guy. He's going to be stunned when he loses…"

* * *

Keisuke's eyes widened, "Great! Let's get this started!" He couldn't hide his excitement and he didn't care that everyone knew. 

"Keisuke. The lower powered vehicles will be racing first."

Disappointment flashed briefly before it vanished and he nodded and turned to Takumi, "Don't lose."

Takumi nodded, "I'll do my best."

Keisuke nodded, "So?" He turned to his brother.

"Like I mentioned, there will be four competitors in each category. It will be a cold start. Positions will be drawn right before the race. The course starts from the entrance of the lot and goes to the main intersection. You'll go around the cone and return." Ryousuke studied his two drivers carefully and saw no confusion in their expressions. He wasn't getting any strange feelings from them. He nodded, "Fujiwara get to the Hachiroku. Someone will be coming to you to draw the starting positions."

"Hai!" The teenager responded and went to his vehicle. As though on cue the team got into their positions.

Takumi stood by his car with his usual look of boredom on his face. He immediately stood straighter when his team leader approached.

"They're coming for you to draw your position." Ryousuke said without looking at him.

A man approached them, "Driver for Project D?"

"Hai."

The man held out a small bag, "Take one. The one you pull is your position on the start line. No changes."

Takumi glanced at his team leader who gave him a barely noticeable nod and the teenager reached into the bad and pulled out a small cube with the number three on it.

The man nodded, "You have your position." He held out his hand and Takumi returned the small cube. The man nodded and walked to the next driver.

Takumi turned to Ryousuke.

"Watch your opponents closely up until the turning point. At the half way point on the return run is when you can let yourself go."

Takumi nodded. He had full confidence in anything Takahashi Ryousuke told him to do.

Ryousuke held his gaze a moment longer then turned and walked back to the sidelines where the Project D vans were stationed. He turned and watched Fujiwara get into the hachiroku.

"What do you think Ryousuke?" Fumihiro asked coming to stand beside him.

"Hmm." Ryousuke had already assessed the opponents, "It won't take much. As long as Fujiwara doesn't make any mistakes."

"Ah and he's good at limiting those."

Ryousuke nodded as he crossed his arms.

The group fell silent as a man came in between the racers and started the count down.

Fukotomi Mitsu took a quick glance towards the leader of Project D. Takahashi Ryousuke stood staring critically at the starting line up. She turned back to the race as the challengers took off.

* * *

Mitsu yawned as she put away her clothes and went to her laptop to check her e-mail. There was the expected e-mail from Satoro checking up on her and once again not failing to ask about Ryousuke-san. She sent him a quick reply and as always she didn't answer his questions or bring up Takahashi Ryousuke. She shut down her browser and walked over to her bed. 

Grabbing the novel by her bed she crawled under the covers and began to read. She had only read a few lines before looking up and turning to ace the wall across the room.

Ryousuke-san…

She turned back to her book but she stared beyond it. He seemed unfazed by Project D's double win tonight. She smiled. Stoic as ever. She grabbed her cell phone from the night table and started texting a message.

* * *

Ryousuke had just closed one of his text books and was on the verge of opening the next when his phone beeped. Curious as to who would be sending him a message at this late hour he reached for his phone immediately. Could it be an emergency? 

He flipped his phone open.

A message from Mitsu-chan?!

_'They did great tonight. Don't stay up too late. Oyasumi.'  
_  
Ryousuke stared at the text as his fingers brushed over the key pad. He finally pressed the reply button and began texting back a message. Then he closed his phone and turned to his text book. He closed that also and carrying his cell phone, walked over to his bed. Lying down under the covers he moved to place the cell phone on his night table but it beeped before he could remove his grasp from it. Opening it he read the message from Mitsu-chan and texted a reply. He closed his cell phone and closed his eyes with a yawn. Cell phone grasped firmly within his palm.

* * *

Author's Note: 

Well I wasn't expecting to post so soon. I split the chapter in hopes to make things clearer. But also Having to read half a dozen victorian novels for a lit class exam this thursday sure can be motive enough to stray away and write fanfiction!

Thanks for reading! I'm always so surprised by your comments!

CelicaChick.


	35. Chapter 35: Acceptance

**Chapter 35 – Acceptance  
**  
Keisuke grasped the door knob and carefully turned it and pushed the door open. The room was surprisingly dark. Sleeping in again? He poked his head inside followed by the rest of him. Shutting the door as quietly as possible he made his way to the bed and peered down at the sleeping form of his aniki.

"What the heck?!?" Keisuke mumbled as he saw the object in his brother's hand.

"What do you want Keisuke?"

"Huh? You're awake?!?"

"Of course. You don't make the most subtle entrances Keisuke." He pushed aside the covers, releasing the foreign object he felt in his hand on the pillow as he sat up and pushed his legs over the side of the bed.

"Why are you still in bed?" He asked suspiciously. He picked up the cell phone from the pillow and held it out in front of his brother, "And since when do you sleep with your cell phone in you hand?!?"

Ryousuke glanced at his brother briefly before getting to his feet, "What are you doing today Keisuke?"

"Hah? Nothing. Going out with some friends." He frowned, "Are you trying to change the subject?"

Ryousuke moved towards his armoire, "I was waiting for a message Keisuke, and fell asleep." He pulled out a sweater and a pair of jeans before turning to his brother with a pointed look.

"Oh." He scratched the back of his head in a way that reminded Ryousuke of Fujiwara Takumi, "What are you going to do today? Study?"

"I'm going to Hyobe's."

"Hyobe?"

"Aa. Is something wrong?" He studied his brother curiously.

"Iie! It's good that you're going out for a change!" He smiled, "Ok then! I'm going to go find something to eat!" He placed his brother's phone on the bedside table.

Ryousuke watched as his wayward brother hurried out of his room leaving the door wide open. He shook his head. Keisuke was acting a little strange today. He walked over to the door to close it and turn on the lights. He quickly began to change and folded his night clothes and making his bed before leaving.

****  
"Ohayou." Hyobe welcomed as he pulled open the door.

"Ohayou."

"You look tired." He smirked, "I guess everything is back to normal."

Ryousuke stared at him.

Hyobe laughed, "The stuff's here." He motioned inside and the two friends stepped inside to collect the parts they needed, "We'll take my car, I think it'll be easier to fit all this stuff in."

"Aa." He stacked two boxes together and lifted them up.

"Up late studying?" they walked back out towards Hyobe's Lexus IS350.

"No." Ryousuke eyed the Lexus with mixed feelings. He still couldn't understand his friend's choice in cars. The Lexus felt like a car given to the spoiled son of a rich family, not a young man who was highly gifted in creating powerful engines for the racing world.

"Really? That's a change." They placed the boxes in the trunk and shut it, "So why didn't you get enough sleep?" He asked curiously.

"I had something to do."

They walked over to the sides of the car and climbed in.

"Ah. I see. So this has something to do with Mitsu-chan." Hyobe smirked, "I can tell since you're being so evasive with me."

"There was nothing evasive in my response."

"And you're getting defensive."

"I am not being de-" Ryousuke stopped short. Now he was sounding defensive.  
Hyobe laughed. He couldn't recall ever catching his friend in such a compromising conversation, "This is a rare side of you I haven't seen in a long time." He became serious a moment and glanced at his friend, "It's good to see it again."

Ryousuke met his gaze briefly before turning away, "We're wasting time sitting here."  
His friend laughed, "Then again some things never change too!" He started the car and drove down the driveway and to the main road.

****  
Keisuke found her sitting at the kitchen table leaning back in her chair with a mug of something hot held between her hands as she stared blankly at her laptop.

"You have no idea how you remind me of Aniki right now." He exclaimed as he walked over to the fridge, pulling the door open and perusing it's contents for something to eat.  
She smiled at his comment but didn't say anything.

He closed the fridge and walked towards her empty handed, "What are you doing anyway?" He glanced at the screen and saw pictures of a blue SW20.

"Looking for a car."

"Another SW20?"

"Hmm probably not. I was just looking."

"So… You've decided to get another car."

"Yeah. It's only logical. There was too much damage. The labour alone would be more than the car itself is worth."

"What are you thinking on getting then?"

Mitsu looked up at his eager face, "Maybe an FD." She smiled and winked.

Keisuke's eyes widened, "That would be awesome!"

Mitsu sipped her tea.

"It would be like a Rotary family!"

Mitsu laughed, "You're going to marry a girl with an FD aren't you?"

Keisuke frowned, "Like there are any."

Mitsu touched his arm gently, "I'm sure there is." She turned back to her laptop after a moment, "There really isn't anything I really want. Well enough to invest money in anyway." She gave Keisuke a smile.

"Ask Aniki. He'll probably have some suggestions."

"Maybe." She closed the laptop, "Want to give me a ride to the train station?"

"Sure. Where are you going?"

"Tokyo."

"Tokyo?"

"Hai. I want to go visit some friends."

"It's a little far to be going now."

"Hmm. It's ok."

"If you say so."

Mitsu smiled, "I just have to get my jacket and purse."

"Aa." Keisuke watched her go then pulled out his cell phone.

****  
Ryousuke was carefully removing distorted parts of what was left of the SW20's front suspension when he heard his phone beep. He glanced in the direction of the work bench where he had placed it.

"Expecting an important message?" Hyobe asked noticing.

"Iie." He turned back to the task at hand.

It took them a few minutes to dislodged the damaged suspension.

"Oosh! Let's take a break." Hyobe exclaimed removing his gloves and tossing them into a nearby bin.

"Hn." Ryousuke did the same.

"I'm going to get something to drink. Want one?"

"Aa. Thank you." He stood up and stared down at the mangled suspension they had just removed. It had been a pretty strong impact from the looks of it.

Hyobe took one last look at his friend and left the garage.

Ryousuke turned away and walked over to the work bench to grab his phone. It was a message from Keisuke:

_Mitsu's going to Tokyo. I'm taking her to the train station._

"What's that look for?"

Ryousuke closed his phone and placed it back on the table as his friend came up to him and passed him a can of hot milk tea.

"Keisuke's taking Mitsu-chan to the train station. She's heading to Tokyo."

"Tokyo?" He glanced at his watch, "It's pretty late in the day."

Ryousuke opened his can and sipped it, "Thank you." He motioned to the drink.

Hyobe simply nodded and watched as his friend walked over to the partly stripped SW20 and stared at it. He could sense a restlessness in his friend.

"What's on your mind?" He asked as he sat down on a nearby stool and watched his friend.

"What do you think about using JZA80 stock 4-pod calipers and rotor system with image brake pads?"

"Yeah, that could work. It definitely would have a lot of braking power." He took a sip of his tea, "But that's not what I meant. You're distracted."

"Oh?" He crouched down to inspect the hollowed out wheel well.

"Are you going to make me ask why? Or am I going to have to guess?"

Ryousuke stood up and placed a hand on the hood of the SW20 and his back towards his friend.

Hyobe waited patiently. He knew Ryousuke would be thinking over his next few words carefully. He saw him stiffen slightly.

"When we were in Motegi," He removed his hand from the car, "You said I was in Love."  
Hyobe placed his can of tea on the work bench, "Aa."

"Why?"

"At the time I wanted to gauge a reaction out of you." He studied his friend carefully.

"Is that all?" The words were spoken softly.

"Well I guess it's based on a few things. If it didn't have substance it wouldn't be useful in trying to get a reaction."

"What things?" Ryousuke still hadn't moved from his spot by Mitsu's car.

"Have you noticed how you've changed since she arrived?" He watched his friend for a reaction, "You don't smoke, you actually show a lot more emotion be it good and bad, but that's ok, because it's something. She's gotten you out of this shell that you've been in for years now. You've learned to trust. I mean you trusted her enough to bring her to my private place. And this." Hyobe looked at the highly damaged Toyota they were attempting to revive, "Never would you have done something as illogical as this. The time and cost of fixing this car far exceed its value. It would be easier to just get another one like it. And that's what you usually would have done. But you're having it fixed, and dedicating your limited time to doing it yourself. All this based on emotions and feelings. She touches something inside of you. I can see it every time you come around and something is bothering you, it's because of something she said or did or something that happened when you were with her. So yes, I based my comment on you reacting to her and was hoping you would react again." He smiled then, "And you sure did react. I never expected you to get tangled in your clothes and fall over Ryousuke. That was very elegant of you by the way."

His friend remained silent and Hyobe wondered how much Ryousuke had been thinking about his words. He reached for his can of tea and quickly finished it.

"And now?"

"Like I said, I think your decision and reason for having the SW20 fixed, speaks clearly about how you feel for her."

He watched as his friend finally moved, bringing the can of tea to his lips and drinking from it quietly.

"You know all this. Why ask?"

"I needed confirmation."

A simple statement. And if you didn't know Ryousuke, it wouldn't mean much, but to Hyobe it explained everything. Ryousuke was confused, possibly going through some insecurities about falling in love. It made sense after experiencing a painful first relationship. He could relate. But he knew Ryousuke to be resilient so there was something more.

"And the betrothal."

A simple nod of acknowledgment.

Hyobe hopped off the stool and joined him, stuffing his hands in his pockets he also stared at the SW20.

"If you love her then it doesn't matter what anyone else wants."

A sigh came from his friends lips.

"There's no room for pride if you're in love Ryousuke." He stated softly as memories he preferred to forget surged to the forefront of his mind so he could share his discovery with his best friend, "Don't let yours get in the way as I had allowed mine to."

Hyobe had loved quite deeply once. He lost that love when his pride had prevented him from letting his then girlfriend to speak as his representative at a major engine designing competition.

The way in which Ryousuke's eyes seemed to shift into another zone assured Hyobe that his message had gotten through to his friend and was being weighed carefully.

He knew Ryousuke had come to a conclusion when he moved towards the back half of the car and stared down at the exposed engine bay, "There could be a few interesting possibilities for and engine modification."

Hyobe smiled and walked over to his side, "Are you sure you want to give her more horse power?"

"You're right. Not yet."

Hyobe placed his arm around his shoulder, "I completely approve."

Their eyes met and Hyobe knew that Ryousuke understood the underlying meaning of those three words.

****  
Mitsu stepped onto the platform and followed the crowd of people down a set of stairs and to the ground floor. She looked about expectantly. There were so many people.

"Mitsu-chan!"

The young lady turned in the she had heard her name being called from and there he was. Satoro waving his hand madly in the air with a huge smile on his face.

"You're on time!"

"Of course. I Can't leave my girl in this crowd of deprived salarymen."

"Right." She laughed, "Come on let's go. I can't stay too long. I have to get back tonight."

"That doesn't give us much time." He frowned, "Ok let's get out of here." He took a hold of her hand and led her through the crowd.

"Hey Mitsu-chan!"

The two friends turned about as a girl waved excitedly as she approached them, "You're back!"

Mitsu laughed, "Just for a couple of hours."

The girl smiled, "Hey Satoro." He looked over at Mitsu again, "Are you two finally dating?"

"No!" both replied simultaneously which amused the young lady.

"Besides, Mitsu fancy's someone already."

"What??? You never mentioned anything last time we chatted!"

"Satoro just wants me to fall for this guy because he idolizes him."

"Is he cute?"

"He's alright."

"Right." Satoro turned to the girl, "Most of the girls think he is."

"That's right. MOST girls." She emphasized, "Anyway Mina, you want to join us for lunch?"

"Sure."

"Great. Let's go I'm hungry!"

****

To be continued....


	36. Chapter 36: Falling

Thank you SnoQueen for finding my oversight! I really appreciate it! I came right back to delete and add some info to make the story gel! Many Thank you's! It's been a while. I'm rusty.

* * *

**Chapter 36 – Falling**

"See you tomorrow?"

Ryousuke nodded, "Aa." He watched as Hyobe climbed out of the FC and walked over to the door of his home. Once his friend was inside, he turned the car and headed back towards the main road.

He hesitated. Then reached out for his cell phone.

"Keisuke. What time do you have to pick up Mitsu-chan from the station? Aa. I'll pick her up. It's not far from Hyobe's. Aa." He ended the call and turned right onto the main road.

He had only been driving about ten minutes when the station came into view. He pulled into the station and found a parking stall close to the passenger exit. Turning off the engine, he stared out his front window at passengers exiting the station. He straightened in his seat when he saw her appear. He got out of the car and took a step away from the vehicles so that he came into view.

She met his gaze and started in his direction, "Ryousuke-san?"

"Aa. Would you like to get a drink?"

Mitsu smiled and nodded.

Ryousuke met her at her side of the car and pulled open the door.

"Thank you." She climbed into the vehicle. Ryousuke shut the door and entered the FC from the driver's side.

"Would you like something hot or cold?"

"Hot if you don't mind?"

"Of course not."

They drove in silence until they reached Café Veloce. They entered the small but busy café and got in line.

They remained silent until it was their turn to order.

When it came their turn to order, both ordered a large hot milk tea. Ryousuke paid for the drinks and turned to Mitsu, "Let's go somewhere quiet."

"Ok." Mitsu followed him back to the FC and they turned back onto the road, "So where are we going?"

"Somewhere I like to go for some peace and quiet."

"Hyobe's place?"

Ryousuke glanced at her and found her smiling at him, "Someplace else. Hyobe is a curious person."

Mitsu laughed, "I thought he understood you well."

"He does. As you can imagine, he likes to push for things when he believes it's for the best."

"Aa." Mitsu turned to look out the front windshield, "So where then are you taking me?"

"You'll see."

They drove on in silence again until they reached the seaside.

Mitsu glanced over at Ryousuke, "You come to the beach?"

"Aa. It's quiet in this particular spot." Ryousuke turned off the engine and turned to her, "Would you like to go outside?"

"Sure." She stepped out of the car and joined him at the front by the railings that separated the parking area and the beach.

They stood side by side sipping their hot tea.

"How was your trip?" Ryousuke asked casually.

"It was nice. I met with Satoro and a girl friend for dinner."

"How is Satoro?"

Mitsu sipped her tea before answering, "Still asking about you and I."

Ryousuke turned to her.

Her gaze met his and he reached out to brush her cheek softly with the back of his hand.

She closed her eyes softly then reached out for him as she stepped closer to him. She could feel his warmth and was immediately drawn even closer.

Ryousuke's hand slid down to her jaw-line and tilted her chin up as his lips moved down towards hers.

* * *

Keisuke walked into the kitchen the next day and went directly to his brother who was currently cooking eggs, "Aniki what time do you think the FD will be ready?"

"Sometime tonight."

"Tonight?"

Ryousuke nodded.

"Do you have plans today Keisuke? A date maybe?" Mitsu said walking past him to get to the fridge.

"Date?" He shook his head, "Just going out with some friends."

"You knew in advance that we'd be working on the FD today. Ask them to pick you up." Ryousuke stated as he removed the eggs from the pan and setting them on a plate.

"Aniki!" Keisuke whined, "I hate it when they drive. And I can't just take off whenever I want."

Mitsu laughed lightly and patted his shoulder as she moved back to the other side of the kitchen with the butter.

Ryousuke carried the plate of eggs to the table and placed it down beside the sausage and toast.

"Let's eat Keisuke." Mitsu said taking her seat.

The blond Takahashi sighed and sat down.

"Can you reschedule for tomorrow?"

"No."

"Why not? Please Aniki?"

"I don't have time tomorrow."

Keisuke huffed and stared at his plate.

"You should eat before it gets cold." Mitsu stated as she started serving him food.

Ryousuke sighed and got to his feet, "Excuse me a moment." He walked out of the kitchen.

"At least the FD will react better afterwards."

Keisuke nodded simply as he poked at the sausage on his plate.

Mitsu watched him curiously. She had never seen him so interested in anything but racing. She wondered what could have have snared his interest so powerfully. She took a bite of her sausage as she mulled over his uncommon behaviour.

Ryousuke entered the kitchen and sat down, "Where exactly are you going?"

"Akihabara then later dinner and a movie." Keisuke mumbled.

"Who are you going with?" Mitsu asked curiously.

Keisuke sighed, "Just Kenta and a few friends from school."

"From school?" Ryousuke repeated curious now. He had never heard of Keisuke mention ever wanting to go out with people from school. Let alone call those people friends.

"Yeah, from english class." He saw his older brother raise a brow interested.

Ryousuke sighed and moved to reach into his pocket. He pulled the item he had gone to retrieve and placed it on the table beside Keisuke's plate.

The younger brother's eyes widened and he touched the key and alarm controler cautiously, "Really?" He asked unsurely.

Ryousuke nodded and picked up his fork to eat.

Keisuke grabbed the key and stuffed it in his pocket before his aniki could change his mind. He glanced over at Mitsu who gave him a smile.

"Eat now." She said motioning to his plate.

"Hai!" Keisuke grabbed his fork and began eating. He couldn't believe his brother was letting him take the FC! He quickly finished his food and got up to put away his dish, "Thanks Aniki! Bye Mitsu-chan!" He exclaimed and rushed out of the kitchen.

The two remaining people listened as Keisuke ran up the staircase.

Mitsu turned to her companion, "That was nice of you."

Ryousuke glanced at her, "He really wanted to go didn't he?"

She nodded, "Its good that he can take a break from training and racing though."

Ryousuke nodded and chewed his food thoughtfully, "Do you think he met someone?"

"It's possible." She got up with her cup, "More tea?"

Ryousuke nodded and she took his cup, "Thank you."

She went to the counter to fill their cups and came back to place Ryousuke's beside him on the table.

He was surprised when she leaned over and kissed his cheek gently before going back to her seat and continuing with her breakfast.

When she glanced at him, he was staring up at her dazedly.

"Aniki I'm going!" Keisuke said popping his head into the kitchen.

"Aa." Ryousuke snapped back to attention.

"See you later Mitsu-chan." He gave her a quick wave before dashing away.

The sound of the front door closing was heard moments after.

Ryousuke resisted the urge to get to his feet and walk to the window and watch his FC drive off without him in it.

Mitsu carried her empty plate to the dishwasher. She heard the roar of the FC's engine come to life and turned to see Ryousuke's posture stiffen. She walked over to him and rested her hands on his shoulders to gently knead them, "What time is Fumihiro coming?" She asked to draw his attention.

"Eleven."

The sound of the FC moved out of hearing range.

"So what will you do until then?"

"I've got some emails to check." He picked up his tea and finished it before tackling the remaining food on his plate, "Do you have plans today?"

"Not really. Maybe I should call Tsugumi-chan and see if she wants to go out with me."

"She'll probably like that."

Mitsu moved to sit in the chair next to him, "You and Fumihiro could join us too if you reschedule the maintenance of the FD." she teased.

"I don't think we'd want to intrude in your girl time." Ryousuke replied frowning.

"Suit yourself." She leaned forward to plant a soft kiss on his lips before standing.

Ryousuke grabbed her hand and got to his feet.

"What-" Her question was cut off as his lips closed over hers.

Ryousuke pulled away after a moment and rested his forehead against her, "Be careful." He said in a husky voice that caused her to shiver.

She could only nod as she wrapped her arms around him and held him closer. She still found it amazing how she found it so easy to hold him close and how he was letting his guard down so easily around her when they were alone together.

"Go out with me tonight?" Ryousuke asked softly without pulling away.

"Ok."

"Meet me at the train station at 10."

"The train station?"

"Park your rental there, I'll pick you up."

"You don't have a car remember."

He couldn't see her but he could hear the smile in her voice, "I'll be testing the FD's settings."

Mitsu smiled and pulled away, "Sneaky."

Ryousuke smiled, "No. Smart." He leaned forward and touched his lips to hers.

Mitsu's arms instinctively wrapped around his neck.

* * *

****** A Week later…**

Takahashi Emi stood leaning against the counter with a mug of coffee in her hands. She glanced up at the clock on the wall. He would be down any minute now. She sipped her coffee and it was at this point that she heard his footsteps coming down the stairs.

Ryousuke entered the room, "Ohayou." He bowed his head politely as he entered and walked over to the counter where the coffee was already made.

"Ohayou. How are you?"

"Fine." He sipped his coffee as he moved to look out the window.

"Your father and I are going to hold a dinner here this Saturday."

"Aa."

"Will you be bringing anyone?"

Ryousuke spun on his heals to look at his mother. Bring someone?

"Who would you like me to bring?"

Emi walked up to him and placed a hand on his arm, "Anyone special?"

Ryousuke stared at her. Special?

His mother smiled, "It's ok Ryousuke. These things happen."

"These things?"

"Mom's asking if you have a girl-friend Aniki," Keisuke strolled into the kitchen chuckling. He walked over to the fridge and pulled out the jug of orange juice. When he turned around he looked at Ryousuke then at his mother, "And he doesn't Mom. How could he? He's always here at school or at Hyobe's."

"Keisuke."

The younger brother looked at his sibling, "Sorry Aniki."

Ryousuke turned away and drank his coffee. His mother wanted him to bring a girl-friend? What was going on? What about Fukotomi Mitsu? He glanced at his mother and finished his coffee, "Excuse me." He placed his mug in the sink and walked out of the room.

Emi watched her oldest son.

Keisuke turned to his mother, "What are you doing mom?"

Emi turned to Keisuke curiously.

"You arrange a marriage for him then you ask him to bring a girl-friend home? What are you and Dad doing?"

Emi sighed, "I just wanted to know if Ryousuke had already found someone."

Keisuke frowned, "Mom! You guys are messing with his mind! You're going to have him all screwed up! The prodigal son couldn't even decipher what you were referring to!" Keisuke smirked suddenly, "Then again Aniki was always kind of naïve when it came to girls and relationships."

"Don't make fun of your Aniki, Keisuke. We don't mean to confuse Ryousuke, simply to understand him. But you are right. I shouldn't have asked him like I did."

Keisuke wasn't sure how to respond so he nodded and drank his orange juice, "Ok, see you later mom!" He placed his cup in the sink and rushed out of the kitchen.

"Don't forget to be here on Saturday!" Takahashi Emi shook her head smiling. Her boys were like night and day yet they got along so well.

She sighed and re-thought about what her colleague had told her a few days ago.

**_"Congratulations Takahashi-sama."_**

**_"Excuse-me Kai-sensei, what do you mean?"_**

**_"I saw your son at the beach with a young lady."_**

**_"Oh?"_**

**_The doctor nodded, "I assumed they're engaged."_**

**_Emi's brow raised._**

**_The Doctor turned to her, "They look very much in love. You must be excited to have your first born son almost married and starting his residency soon!"_**

**_Emi only smiled._**

"Everything ok?"

Emi blinked and focused on her husband entering the kitchen, "Oh yes I'm fine. I've told Ryousuke and Keisuke about Saturday."

"Good."

Emi sat down at the table. What was going on here? Who was Ryousuke with at the beach? Was it Ryousuke at the beach at all? Her colleague may have been mistaken.

"Did he say anything?"

"Actually no." She quickly went over the conversation and realized he had not once confirmed or denied that he didn't have someone special in his life. What was she thinking. Keisuke was right. Her eldest didn't have spare time to find himself and spend time with a girl-friend. Unless… He was finding temporary relief… Her eyes widened.

"I'll be right back." She walked upstairs to her eldest son's room and knocked on the door.

"Come."

She pushed open the door.

Ryousuke was doing up the last button of his shirt, "Mother."

She met his gaze. Those dark serious eyes. Wise beyond his years, responsible and… naïve she realized. Keisuke was right. His Aniki wasn't experienced in relationships. Whatever experience he had with Amaya was innocent. Young love. She stared at him. He was younger than he acted she had to remind herself.

She walked up to him and reached out to fix his collar. She looked up at him, "Good luck today. I know you will do exceptionally well." She squeezed his arm then turned and left the room. She pulled the door closed behind her and sighed.

"Emi-sama?" Mitsu stopped and looked her with concern, "Are you well?"

Emi smiled, "I'm fine dear. I just wanted to wish Ryousuke good luck on his first day of residency."

"Oh ok."

"You're up early."

Mitsu nodded, "Keisuke and I are off to look at a car."

"Oh?"

The young woman nodded, "It's too costly to have mine repaired."

"I see. Don't push yourself to hard ok?"

"Hai."

Emi smiled, "Have fun. You two be safe."

"Hai."

"Come down for some coffee?"

Mitsu nodded and followed Emi downstairs.

"Oh, Saturday Fujimaro and I will be hosting a dinner. We'd like for all of you to be home."

"Aa. Ok. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Oh no, everything should be ok." They entered the kitchen.

"Good Morning Mitsu-chan." Fujimaro smiled.

"Good Morning." Mitsu replied back.

Another set of footfalls came down the stairs and without stopping by the kitchen made their way to the foyer and out the door.

Fujimaro turned to his wife, "Ryousuke?"

"Yes."

Fujimaro nodded and turned back to his newspaper.

Mitsu watched silently. She turned to the window when the FC's engine turned to life. Take care Ryousuke-san.

* * *

"How was your first day of Residency?"

"It went well." Ryousuke pulled a pair of overalls from the bag he was carrying, "How long have you been here?"

"Not long." Hyobe answered as he looked at the SW20, "It won't be much longer until we're done."

"Aa." Ryousuke's muffled voice could be heard from the bathroom. He emerged shortly after dressed in his overalls. He joined his best friend at the damaged vehicle.

"Hyobe."

"Aa." He glanced at his friend and found him trying to put on his gloves. That surprised him. With the amount of practice Ryousuke had with wearing gloves, you'd think that it would be a simple task, "You're anxious?" He turned fully to examine his friend, "No. You're nervous!" Hyobe chuckled, "What is it?"

Ryousuke glanced at him and finally managed to put on his gloves, "Are you free tomorrow?"

"Aa. I was going to come join you here."

"Would you run an errand with me tomorrow after my shift."

"Sure. What are we doing?"

"Shopping." The answer was a final one.

Hyobe frowned. Shopping?

"That is an unusual request coming from you."

Ryousuke ignored his comment and started working on the SW20.

"I'm very curious now." Hyobe said crossing his arms smiling.

"We should be able to finish in two more days."

"Ok, I guess I'll find out tomorrow then. Will pick me up at home?"

"Aa."

Hyobe joined him by the vehicle, "Ok."

The two friends started to work.

* * *

Ryousuke parked the FC and went to the house. He entered and immediately went upstairs to his room to get a set of clean clothes. He needed a good hot shower.

Afterwards he returned to his room to put away his things. He picked up his cell phone and started to text a message. Once that was done, he carried his phone with him to his desk. Turning on his laptop as he waited for it to boot up, he stared at his old textbooks on the nearby bookshelf. It had only been a week since school had ended, but it felt so much longer.

A soft knock at his door made him look up, "Come."

"Welcome home."

Ryousuke smiled. He stood up and went to her, "How was school?" He cupped her face.

"Not the same without you and the other guys there." She wrapped her arms around his waist.

Ryousuke smiled and leaned down to press his lips against hers, "I missed you."

"Mmm." Mitsu smiled nervously. He missed her? "You are different person than who I thought you were."

"Who did you think me to be?"

Mitsu looked up at him, "I've just never imagined you to be able to talk so openly."

"Hn."

"That's it?"

"What would you like me to say?"

"It depends who I'm speaking with."

Mitsu nodded, "So lets get going. Where are we going to go tonight?"

"What would you like to eat?" He stared down at her as he reached back and pulled her hair loose from her ponytail so he could run his fingers through it.

Mitsu shut her eyes briefly then looked up at him again, "A hamburger."

Ryousuke chuckled and reluctantly released her to collect his coat and keys, "Ok." He led her to the door.

Mitsu quickly went to her room to grab her jacket and purse then rejoined him at the top of the stairs. They quickly made their way out of the house and to the cars, "I'll just follow you like always?"

Ryousuke nodded, "See you in a bit."

Mitsu nodded and pulled the keys to the dark blue rental car from her purse. With Ryousuke finished school and her car gone, she opted to get a rental so she could drive herself to the university. She couldn't very well depend on Ryousuke and Keisuke to take her around everywhere. Hopefully, she would find a car to her liking soon.

She climbed in and put the key in the ignition. To her left, Ryousuke motioned for her to leave first. It was arranged they would meet up at the train station then leave together from there. This way, they were never seen arriving together.

Once at the station, Ryousuke pulled up in front of the passenger pick-up area where Mitsu stood waiting.

"The White Comet really isn't that fast." She stated closing the door after her. She turned to meet his gaze when he chuckled.

"I think you should prove to me how fast you are."

"Is that so?" Ryousuke was still smiling as he pulled out of the station parking lot.

"We could always leave Saturday's dinner early and you can show me how fast you are."

"Perhaps." He glanced at her.

"Really?"

"Saturday nights are not an ideal time." He still had a lingering smile.

"No of course not." Mitsu glanced out the window. Saturday would not allow them to have any privacy.

"My mother asked me if I was bringing anyone Saturday."

Mitsu turned to him.

All expression had disappeared from his face.

"Who?"

"I asked her that. She said 'anyone special?'." He glanced over at his passenger. Her brows were scrunched up in confusion.

She swallowed, "Is there someone special?" She tried to sound like she was teasing him. She wouldn't let it bother her so much if he had found someone special. In fact it would make things easier on both of them.

Ryousuke glanced at her, "Other than spending time with you I've been with Hyobe."

Mitsu's eyes widened, "You don't think she knows about..."

"I'm not sure." He sighed, "It's always a possibility." He recalled the conversation she had with him that morning and couldn't remember her being overly happy. He would think that the idea of Fukotomi Mitsu and him honouring the bethroval would make her happy, "But I don't think she knows."

Mitsu felt herself relax, "Maybe we shouldn't be going out together."

"Aa." Ryousuke answered.

They were both silent.

"I'd like my hamburger though." Mitsu stated softly.

"Aa." He kept on driving.

Neither one wanted to end their time together.

Neither one wanted to be seen together tonight.

But while one of them harboured the constant worry of how they were going to end this relationship without hurting the other person, the other was considering staying together.


	37. Chapter 37 - Decisions

Author Note: Thank you to everyone for your comments and support through the years. I apologize for the long wait! I hope that it won't be too hard to recall what happened previously.

Please note this chapter touches on aspects we don't really know about Takahashi Ryousuke, therefore I hope I managed to somewhat keep him somewhat true to his original character.

Without further delay here is the next chapter.

Chapter 37: Decisions

Ryousuke made sure Mitsu got safely in her car. She gave him a small wave then pulled out of the parking stall. He followed her to the exit of the lot and watched as she turned right to head home.

He turned his car left. He wasn't sure where he was going, he just knew he needed some time before heading home. He was feeling... He wasn't too sure what he was feeling.

* * *

Mitsu unlocked the door and stepped inside. Her mind was still wondering where Ryousuke had gone to. Usually he followed her most of the way home and then fell back and went to get fuel for his car or something.

She sighed as she headed up the stairs. Her quiet nights out with Ryousuke usually occupied every corner of her mind and her being, but tonight that overwhelming concern that someone had seen them together had been there floating between them as well.

Takahashi Emi had said that they would not force her and their son into an unhappy marriage. But if she had found out that they were secretly spending time together, would she and Fujimaro-san change their minds?

She sighed again. She had been giving into her desires and her emotions too much lately. And so had he... Takahashi Ryousuke... There was so much more to him then people realized. So much more...

"Mitsu-chan, are you ok?"

Takahashi Tsugumi was in the hallway staring at her with concern.

"Hello Tsugumi-chan. I'm fine. Finished all your home-work?" She reached the top landing with a smile.

"Not quite. I have a trig problem."

"Want some help?"

"Do you mind? Ryousuke hasn't come home yet." Her head tilted to the side slightly as a look of curiousity took over her features.

"I don't mind. Let me put away my things and I'll come to your room."

"Ok!" She took one last look at the young lady and went back to the room that was reserved for her for when she came over.

Mitsu went to her room to drop off her jacket and purse. She looked at the wall separating her room from Takahashi Ryousuke's. She shook an unknown feeling away and went straight to the teenager's room.

The girl was sitting at her desk.

"So let's see this problem of yours." She sat in the chair that was always present in her room for when Ryousuke came to help her.

Tsugumi pushed her textbook towards the young lady, "Number 22. Mitsu-chan?"

"Hmm?" She read over the question.

"Were you with Ryousuke?" She asked softly.

Mitsu froze. Was there any point in denying it? Tsugumi knew what had happened between them anyway, "I was." She looked at the teenager, "Tsugumi, have you told anyone about, umm your cousin and I?"

She shook her head, "Ryousuke asked me not to. Is something wrong?"

"No, I... I was just concerned that someone knew."

"Would it be so bad if people knew? I think everyone would be happy for both of you."

Mitsu didn't say anything. She stared at the math question. Would it be so bad to be with Ryousuke... To have everyone think it was the bethroval that made them come together. And that seemed to go against all she believed in. Freedom to choose.

"Mitsu-chan? You look angry. I'm sorry."

"Oh no! I'm not angry at you." She offered her a smile, "It's the bethroval that's all."

"Do you love him?"

Mitsu's breath caught in her throat. Love?

Tsugumi suddenly laughed snapping Mitsu from her shocked state.

"Mitsu-chan you are so smart and pretty, I don't understand how you can be so... clueless about relationships."

Mitsu frowned, "I've never actually been in one."

Tsugumi stopped smiling, "Never? Not even in high school?"

The older of the two blushed, "I was always so busy."

"What about university? Isn't the first year supposed to be a lot of fun?"

Mitsu smiled, "That's what I heard." She shrugged, "I was busy my first year."

"And you're still busy. No guy friends that turned into more?"

Mitsu shook her head.

"So..." Tsugumi seemed to be thinking some things through, then her eyes lit up, "Ryousuke's your first!"

"I think we should get to work on your math problem." She tapped the text book.

"Maybe that's why your parents set you up with Ryousuke. I mean sure your dad and my uncle were best friends, but maybe your parents thought you would always be so busy that you wouldn't even have time to open yourself to meeting someone. And they saw someone responsible in my cousin and thought he could take care of you." She laughed, "They probably thought the same thing about Ryousuke too! He's always busy." She paused a moment, "You have helped him."

Mitsu remained silent.

"Are you mad?"

Mitsu turned to her, "I'm not mad at you Tsugumi." She sighed, "I just don't know. It's frustrating." She glanced at her watch. 30 minutes had already passed. He wasn't home yet.

"You're waiting for him."

"No I'm not."

"Really?" Tsugumi was skeptical.

The two girls stared at each other, then burst out laughing.

"He's usually back by now." Mitsu stated looking at the text-book again.

"And this is not worrying about him huh?" She laughed.

"I think it's time we study!" Mitsu nudged the teenager.

"Ok ok. You guys are all about the books." She leaned forward to look at the problem then suddenly turned to Mitsu, "And about each other." She added.

"Anyway... So tell me the basic things that are important in this question?" Mitsu attempted to refocus the teenagers attention away from her relationship with Ryousuke.

* * *

It wasn't until a couple of hours later when Mitsu was getting ready for bed that she heard the FC coming home. She sat propped up in her bed with her book listening. Waiting.

It took him longer than usual to come up to his room. What had he been doing? She waited as he entered his room. She could no longer hear him. She turned to the book. What was she doing? She was letting him take over every aspect of her life!

Concentrate.

Read.

His door was opening again.

She froze. There was no knock on her door.

Something was different. The overwhelming aura was different.

Subdued...

She closed her book and placed it on the night table before laying down. What had happened?

No! She had to stop thinking about him so much. She was getting too sensitive to him. She reached over to turn off her bedside lamp and pulled the covers snugly around her.

Sleep, sleep, sleep.

* * *

Ryousuke made his way back downstairs. He went to the kitchen and poured the tea that he had prepared and carried it over to the TV room.

"Keisuke."

"Aniki! You're back." He was looking back over the couch. He watched as his brother came around and also sat on the couch.

Keisuke watch curiously, "Don't you have to work tomorrow?"

"Aa."

"And you're here. With me. Watching TV?"

"Aa."

Keisuke frowned, "What is it Aniki?"

"I wanted to watch some television."

"Really? I can't remember the last time you wanted to watch TV."

Ryousuke remembered perfectly the last time he had sat here watching TV. And Drinking... Mitsu-chan had appeared. He had been trying to get her out of his mind and yet she appeared and seemed to swamp his mind and swell his emotions. He shivered as his body recalled the feeling of her hands on his back...

He got to his feet and started for the mini kitchen, leaving his tea on the coffee table, "Would you like a drink Keisuke?"

"Hai." Keisuke didn't think much about it until his brother returned with the Sake.

Ryousuke poured them each a small cup then immediately took his and downed the drink with a grimace.

Keisuke's eyes widened with familiarity, "Aniki?" his voice was hesitant.

"Hn." He poured himself another cup.

"Why are you drinking? You don't even like it!" Keisuke exclaimed picking up his own cup.

Ryousuke did not reply. How could he tell his younger brother that he needed something to take the edge off? He lowered his cup to the table and leaned back. He moved to glance at his watch and remembered he had left it upstairs in his room, "What time is it?"

Keisuke glanced at his watch, "Almost 11."

Ryousuke nodded and reached for his tea. He quickly finished it and picked up both his mug and sake cup, "Good night Keisuke."

"Good Night Aniki." The young man watched as his brother left the entertainment room.

* * *

**** The next afternoon.

"Hey, how was work?" Hyobe asked pulling open the door of his workshop.

"It was fine." He watched Hyobe shut his door and lock it.

"So now can you tell me where we're going?"

"Back to the shop."

They entered the FC.

"What do you mean?" Hyobe strapped himself into the bucket seat.

"I've changed my mind."

Hyobe turned to stare at him, "You changed your mind?" He watched his friend start the vehicle and start down the drive, "I see. It has something to do with Mitsu-chan." The only time he had ever seen his friend change his mind like this was when it had to do with her, "Well would you mind if we just stop off at the shopping center quickly anyway? My Mother wanted me to pick something up for her."

"Aa."

They turned onto the street.

"Everything go ok today?"

"Aa."

"So what happened with Mitsu?"

"Nothing."

"But you changed your mind? Or rather she changed your mind." Hyobe chuckled, "You should just marry her Ryousuke. I don't think you're going to find anyone else like her." He turned to look out the window.

"I know. I was."

Hyobe turned on him, "You were!? Wait a minute, Past tense?"

His friend remained silent.

"So you were planning on marrying her."

"I was planning on ending the uncertainty."

"About what?"

Ryousuke turned into the shopping center's underground parking lot and started scanning for an empty spot.

"Uncertainty about what?" Hyobe repeated.

"What we are to each other."

Hyobe continued to watch him. Then he understood, "So you were going to propose to her and that would fast track if the two of you stay together or don't?"

"Hn." He signaled as he found someone vacating a stall.

"If that was your plan, what is it now? Back to the one you were on?"

"Hn."

"And what was that?"

Ryousuke hesitated after pulling into the lot and turning off the FC. He continued to stare straight ahead. He sighed.

Hyobe became concerned.

"We decided to just wait and see what happens. Either the attraction fades or one or both of us finds someone else."

Hyobe groaned, "You have completely lost yourself Ryousuke you know that? Your mind and your heart!" He passed a hand through his hair, "I've never heard such an irrational and convoluted plan from you." His friend did not respond but continued to stare at the steering wheel, "You know she's perfect for you and you're still considering the fact that the attraction will fade or you guys are going to find someone else? That being said, at least one of you is going to be heart broken!" He shook his head a little angry, "Get out of the car. Let's go."

Ryousuke turned to him. Hyobe had opened the door and was climbing out. He turned to his own door and got out. He shut the door and armed the FC.

Hyobe had already started towards the shopping center entrance and he took long strides to catch up to him.

The two of them took the escalator upstairs to the first shopping level. Ryousuke didn't ask where they were going. He simply followed his friend. But when Hyobe zeroed into a specific store, he tensed.

As though he could feel his friend's discomfort, Hyobe slowed his pace and placed a hand on Ryousuke's shoulder, "I don't know what happened to make you change your mind about marrying her, but I'm not going to let you. You're being an idiot. And I'm not going to sit around and watch you destroy yourself." He nodded towards the jewelry store before them, "So we are going to go in there and in every single jewelry store here until you find Mitsu-chan a ring."

"Hyobe-"

"You love her. Marry her."

Both young men had stopped walking.

Ryousuke studied his friend. If he proposed, Mitsu-chan could say no. That was what they had both wanted. They had not wanted to go through with the betrothal. If they didn't plan for this to go any further, why were they allowing themselves to fall deeper? If it had to end, it would be better to end it now. The longer they stayed on their current path... Who was he kidding. He was already lost. It had to end. Proposing to her would put an end to their current relationship. He was sure of it now. Her reaction last night proved she was not in the same place he had reached. He refrained from sighing and nodded.

Hyobe smiled, "Come on." They continued towards the jewelry store completely aware that the closer they got the tenser his friend became.

"Welcome." A young lady said bowing, "Can I help you find anything?" She offered politely.

"Thank you. We are just looking." Ryousuke replied.

Hyobe met the young lady's smiling face and shook his head as he raised his left hand and pointed at his ring finger then nodding towards Ryousuke.

The sales lady's face brightened, "Oh! For him? Let me show you a few that you might find interesting."

Hyobe nodded and laughed when he saw the look Ryousuke was now giving him. He clapped him on the shoulder, "She really does tear down all your guards doesn't she." He stated as he led his friend towards the counter where the young lady had just retrieved a black velvet pad from beneath the counter.

Ryousuke stared down at the Sparkling Diamond engagement rings and suddenly he felt numb. These were engagement rings. He was contemplating marriage. No. Mitsu would not marry him. He blinked and looked up at the young woman.

"This is one of our most popular styles." She informed them as she slipped it on her finger to show the two men.

Ryousuke shook his head.

The salesgirl was undiscouraged and immediately took off the ring to show him another.

After several minutes, Ryousuke glanced at his friend.

He nodded and turned to the girl, "Thank you for your help, I think we'll keep looking around for now." He and Ryousuke bowed their heads politely and walked out of the store, "There's another one around the corner."

Ryousuke followed him silently as they walked into another store.

"Welcome gentlemen, is there anything I can help you with?" A woman who was older then they were approached them.

"Hi, my friend's looking for an engagement Ring."

A large smile appeared on the woman's face, "Well! Come in come in! I'll show you various styles we offer, some are unique to our store."

"Well she is a very unique woman." Hyobe stated glancing at Ryousuke.

The woman glanced at Ryousuke then turned to Hyobe, "Your friend is shy?"

Hyobe laughed, "No. He's just quiet." He placed a hand on his friend's shoulder, "And probably nervous."

The last statement earned him a glare. Hyobe only laughed.

The sales lady was smiling as she placed the velvet display pad on the glass counter-top, "Here are a few of our most sought after rings."

Ryousuke looked down at the rings. Nothing seemed like something Mitsu would wear. Then again, there was a 98 percent chance she's going to refuse him, so what did it matter what the ring looked like? He wanted to sigh. How in the world did he end up like this. He shook his head unconsciously.

"Not any of these, ok. Let me get you something different."

Ryousuke looked up, "I apologize I didn't mean they aren't nice." In fact he hadn't meant to shake his head in regards to the rings... He really was messed up.

Hyobe chuckled beside him.

The lady glanced up at him and smiled, "It's alright, I'll show you some that are less extravagant, but still quite modern." She returned with another tray adorned with sparkling engagement rings.

Ryousuke's gaze quickly gazed over the display and landed on a particularly simple ring.

The sales woman immediately smiled upon seeing his gaze stop, "This is a classic beauty." She pulled the ring from its holder and looked at the tag, "You do have good taste! Ideal cut and clarity, colour E which represent the top 2% of all diamonds. A very beautiful stone." She offered him the ring.

Ryousuke took the offered ring between his index finger and thumb. This was the one. He looked over at Hyobe and nodded.

His friend smiled and tuned to the sales woman, "I guess he'll take this one."

The sales woman smiled and began putting away the other rings. She came back with a small dark blue velvet box. She held it open so that Ryousuke can slip it into the box.

Once out if his possession he glanced at Hyobe briefly before looking at the exit of the store. He felt ashamed. Keisuke was right. What the hell had happened to him? All he could think of right now was getting away.

A heavy hand settled on his shoulder.

Ryousuke turned to find his friend watching him. He nodded and turned to the sales woman who had begun to create the sales receipt.

* * *

**** The next morning.

Ryousuke knocked on his brother's bedroom door knowing it would be in vain. He waited.

No reply. Was this even a good idea? He shook his head to push away his doubts and knocked again before pushing the door open slightly, "Keisuke."

There was a groan from the bed and as always Ryousuke took that as his queue to walk in. His brother's room still looked like a mine-field he thought as he made his way to his brother's bed. He grasped his brother's shoulder and shook him, "Wake up Keisuke. Get dressed and meet me downstairs. We're going out."

"Huh?" Keisuke lifted his head, "Out? Where?"

Ryousuke ignored his questions as he made his way over to the door again. He flicked on the lights and was rewarded with an unhappy growl.

"Aniki!"

"Get dressed." The older brother said stepping out of the room and closing the door softly behind him.

Keisuke flopped onto his back and rubbed his eyes before attempting to squint in the brightly lit room. He turned to look at his clock, "It's 6am on a Saturday damn-it Aniki!" He grumbled as he slowly got out of bed and looked for the first available pair of wearable pants and t-shirt. He grabbed his jacket off the chair and stepped out of the room.

He was surprised to see his Aniki leaning against the wall wearing his jacket waiting for him. He moved away from the wall.

"Do I have time to brush my teeth?"

Ryousuke nodded and reached out for Keisuke's jacket when his brother held it out to him. He sighed as his brother disappeared into the bathroom. He was glad when he re-appeared quicker than he had expected. He unfolded his arms and passed Keisuke his jacket.

"So where are we going?"

"Breakfast."

"Breakfast?" Keisuke repeated surprised as he slipped into his jacket.

Ryousuke nodded simply. He stiffened when Mitsu's bedroom door suddenly opened and a sleepy Mitsu clad in her gray cotton pajama bottoms and a light blue t-shirt stepped out.

"Morning." She said offering a tired smile.

"Morning Mitsu-chan." Keisuke said smiling at her

Ryousuke gave her a curt nod. He stuffed his hands in his pockets in order to fight the urge to brush her hair away from her face.

"You're going out?" She glanced at her watch then back at the two guys in front of her.

Keisuke nodded, "For some reason Aniki wants to go for breakfast." He glanced at his Aniki suddenly. He had not asked Mitsu-chan to join them. He was about to take matters in his own hands when his brother spoke.

"Forgive me Mitsu-chan," He bowed his head, "There's a matter I need to discuss with my brother."

Concern filled her eyes, "Is everything ok?"

Ryousuke nodded, "We'll be back in a couple hours if not sooner." He turned to his brother, "Let's go Keisuke."

"Ok ok." He glanced at Mitsu and shrugged, "See you later Mitsu-chan." He took quick steps to catch up to his brother.

He followed Ryousuke to the FC and got in, "It's been a while since I sat in your passenger seat." He looked around.

"Aa." Ryousuke nodded and started the engine.

"So where are we going?"

"The usual."

"Ok." He yawned and glanced at his brother, "So what did you want to talk about?"

"Later." Ryousuke's one word reply was final.

Keisuke frowned. Was something bothering him. He turned to stare out the window briefly then closed his eyes to concentrate on the feel of his brother's driving. It was just as smooth as he remembered it, with perfect clutch engagement. He hardly felt any sort of disturbance as he switched gears or made a turn and then he only felt it because he was so attuned to driving. A small smile filled his face. His aniki was still amazing.

"Do you ever plan to go back to the professional circuit Aniki?"

"Probably not. I've started my residency."

Keisuke looked at his brother in alarm, "Project D?"

"Will keep going until we achieve our goal." He glanced at Keisuke briefly. And until you are ready... He thought to himself. He turned back to the road and pulled into Family's parking lot. He parked the FC in one of the many available parking stalls near the entrance of the restaurant.

The brothers made their way into cozy restaurant. Only a few people occupied some of the more popular booths near the front widows.

"Welcome Takahashi-san." The waitress greeted a little surprised to see them this early in the morning, "Please choose any seat you wish." She bowed politely and stood aside for them to pass. Following them to the table they usually always sat at next to the windows near the rear of the restaurant, she passed each of them a menu, "Can I get you anything to drink to start?"

"Coffee." They both said at the same time.

The waitress smiled, "Hai. I'll be back with your coffee and to take your orders."

The brothers glanced through the menu quietly. Ryousuke was the first to place his on the table. He turned to stare out the window as he waited for his brother to decide.

"Well, I'm actually hungry afterall." Keisuke said lowering his menu. He looked at his brother, "So?"

"Not yet." Ryousuke answered as he glanced in the direction where the waitress was just coming back with their coffee.

"Here you go." She set the two mugs of coffee in front of them, "Ready to order?"

"Hai. I'll have breakfast combo two." Keisuke replied then looked over at his Aniki.

"Toast please."

"What would you like with your toast?"

"Lightly buttered thank you."

"Hai." She bowed politely and excused herself.

Keisuke leaned back in the booth, "Now?"

"After the food arrives."

The younger of the two looked at his brother worried. What did Ryousuke need to talk to him about that he had to ask him out of the house and that he kept putting off? His brother had always taken the most direct and logical approach. Why was he beating around the bush now?

"I don't want to be interrupted by our server when we talk." Ryousuke informed him as though he had read his brother's thoughts.

Keisuke frowned after the initial shock. How his brother knew what he was thinking never ceased to amaze him. Even if it was rather annoying sometimes.

Ryousuke sipped his coffee and stared out the window. He knew Keisuke probably wouldn't have any reservations towards him marrying Fukotomi Mitsu but he still felt a little uneasy. Perhaps it was because he wasn't used to sharing his deepest feelings with anyone.

He tried not to sigh. Then there was the decision to inform Keisuke about his intentions. It was unlikely that Mitsu-chan would accept him, but out of respect for his brother he had decided it was best to let him know about his intentions. He refrained from sighing again. At least once Mitsu rejected him, Keisuke would know why the relationship between Mitsu and himself had changed.

"Here you go. Thank you for waiting." The waitress had arrived with their breakfast.

"Thank you." The young men replied bowing their heads as they were accustomed to doing. No one could have ever called the Takahashi Brothers anything but polite. Of course Keisuke had had his moments of rebellion, but not many people knew about that aspect of his life.

"Please enjoy your meal." The waitress bowed and left them.

"It looks good." Keisuke said as he picked up his utensils and began cutting up his sausages. He took a bite and looked up at his brother who was diligently and evenly spreading butter over his toasted bread, "So now can you tell me what's going on?"

Ryousuke finished buttering his toast and lowered his knife. He glanced at his brother shortly before reaching to his side where he had rested his jacket and searched for something in his pocket. This was it. He hesitated when his hand touched the small velvet box. Maybe this wasn't a good idea. Why get Keisuke emotionally involved in all this? He glanced at Keisuke again. His Otoutou would never forgive him for not telling him of such a big decision. That was that. There was no other choice.

Keisuke watched intently as his brother pulled something out that was small enough to fit in the palm of his hand.

Ryousuke reached for his napkin with his other hand and dropped it into his lap. His eyes met Keisuke as he brought the napkin up onto the table again and slid it across it's surface towards his brother, "Don't get excited Keisuke."

Keisuke was intrigued as he reached for the napkin and pulled it towards him. His Aniki's hesitation had peaked his interest. What could stump his brother this much? He could feel a hard object concealed underneath. Excitement and confusion clouded his eyes as he brought it down into his lap. He glanced down as he lifted the napkin slightly.

A small dark blue velvet box lay in his hand.

His eyes widened and he covered it as he glanced up at his brother, "Is this...?"

Ryousuke motioned with his hand for Keisuke to check for himself. He watched his brother carefully.

His younger brother's gaze lowered again. Keisuke pulled the napkin with one hand and took hold of the small box with his other. He flipped the lid open carefully and right away a sparkling diamond solitaire glimmered back at him. Even in the shadow of the table, the precious rock shone brightly. He shut the box softly and covered it with the napkin before placing it back on the table and sliding it over to his brother.

Ryousuke was surprised to see the stern look on his brother's face. He pulled it back towards him and into his lap before moving to put the small gift back into his jacket.

When the small box was securely back in his pocket, Ryousuke again turned to his brother only to now see a frown on his face. Had he been wrong about his brothers feelings towards Mitsu-chan? A strange feeling was forming in the pit of his stomach. He reached for his coffee and sipped it to hide his anxiousness.

Keisuke watched in silence as his brother drank his coffee. When he decided he wasn't going to say anything, Keisuke cleared his throat, "Are you sure Aniki?" His voice was low.

"It's the logical thing to do."

Keisuke's gaze narrowed, "Logical?" He hissed.

Ryousuke looked up at him. Had he been badly mistaken about his brother's feelings?

"Logical? This isn't like one of your simulations Aniki! This is your life you're talking about!"

Ryousuke leaned back in the booth all emotions had vanished from his face. He had been wrong. This wasn't a good idea.

Keisuke recognized that look. His brother was quickly closing himself up. He sighed, "I don't understand."

His Aniki met his gaze, "I love her." He said softly.

Silence.

A large smile filled the blond man's face, "Ok!" He reached for his utensils again, "So when are you going to ask her?"

Ryousuke was taken aback by his brother's complete switch in demeanor, "Undecided." The tension seeped from his body only to be replaced by dread and sadness.

"She's going to go crazy over that ring!" He took a bite of his food, "When did you decide to marry her? We were getting worried you guys weren't getting anywhere!"

"A few days ago." He poked his toast with the knife.

"That was fast."

Ryousuke nodded simply and reached for his toast. He froze and looked up at his brother, "We?"

"Huh?"

"You said 'We were getting worried'"

It was Keisuke's turn to freeze. He looked up at his brother sheepishly.

"Who is 'we'?"

"Umm, well me and Hyobe and..." Keisuke mumbled the rest.

"Keisuke?"

The younger Takahashi cleared his throat, "Umm, you know just Satoro and some of the guys..."

Ryousuke crossed his arms, "Some?"

"Sorry Aniki! It just came up at one of the races!"

"Who else?"

"Matsumoto, Fumihiro, maybe Takumi..."

Ryousuke couldn't control the groan that escaped him. His hand went to his temples.

"If it makes you feel any better, they don't really know anything."

"You're being contradictive, Keisuke."

"They don't know anything for sure. Everyone's just kind of waiting to see if anything is going to happen between the two of you." Keisuke decided he was going to omit telling him about the small bet going on.

"I see. I assume it was Satoro who put the idea in everyone's head?"

"You didn't hear it from me."

Ryousuke nodded and picked up his toast and forced himself to take a bite.

Keisuke was relieved that his brother wasn't going to continue on the topic, "So you're ok that you've been promised to her?" Keisuke asked carefully.

Ryousuke chewed for a couple of seconds before he nodded.

"You're sure?"

"Aa."

"Alright then." He found it unnecessary to continue questioning his brother. If he said he was ok, then he was ok with it, "It's about time!"

Ryousuke chose to ignore his brother's comment. He returned the toast to the plate, "She may say no Keisuke."

"Doubt it." The younger brother stated as he continued to eat.

"Even so, respect her decision."

Keisuke looked up to study his brother, "She doesn't know how you feel..."

Ryousuke shook his head as he turned the coffee mug around in his hands, "No."

"So... How in the world did you come to this decision, if you're always studying or with us, the Redsuns or Hyobe? I've never really seen you guys together..."

The older brother took a sip of his coffee. He smiled, "That was the point."

Keisuke's eyes widened, "You're sneaky Aniki!"

Ryousuke shrugged and sipped his coffee. He turned to look out the window. Was this right? Keisuke looked so excited. What could he say so that he wasn't setting his brother up for disappointment.

"Aren't you happy Aniki?" Keisuke's voice cut through his thoughts.

He turned to his little brother and saw the concern in his eyes, "I'll feel better if you don't get too excited over this just yet Otoutou."

Keisuke frowned, "You're not feeling very optimistic about her answer are you?"

Ryousuke did let himself sigh this time, "I just don't want you to get all excited. And we're not saying anything to mom and dad just yet either."

"Ok..."

Ryousuke looked at his brother's concerned face, "Don't worry Keisuke." He smiled, "Things will work out whatever the outcome."

Keisuke wasn't convinced. His brother was going to propose because he had finally realized he was in love, but he was giving off hints that he was going to be rejected. How was he not supposed to worry?! Images of the past and of his brother racing at breakneck speed every night flashed in his mind.

"It's not like that Otoutou."

Keisuke met his gaze, "How do you know?"

"Because I have you, Hyobe, the Redsuns and Project D." He sipped his coffee, "Besides, a relationship was not exactly what I was looking for in the first place as you recall."

Was his brother down playing the whole situation? Or was he serious? He always had that serious look on his face.

"Is everything alright?" The waitress approached their table when she noticed they had both stopped eating.

Ryousuke turned to her, "Aa. We are fine. Thank you."

The waitress blushed and refilled their coffee cups.

"Thank you." Ryousuke bowed his head and she turned to leave.

Keisuke stared after the flustered waitress a moment then turned to his brother, "There's no way she's going to reject you." He declared and started eating again.

Ryousuke raised a curious brow.

"She likes you too much."

Ryousuke could only offer his brother a smile. He turned to look out the window. His gaze rested on his FC. Keisuke didn't seem to realize that liking someone just isn't enough.

* * *

**** Later that evening.

Mitsu pulled the dress over her head and down the length of her body. She turned and looked at herself in the mirror. Reaching back she pulled up the zipper as much as she could. She then tried to reach back from the top to get the zipper. No luck. She'd have to ask Emi-san for help. Mitsu walked to her door and pulled it open to peak out.

"Mitsu-chan?"

The young woman flinched and turned to the stairs where Ryousuke had just come up from, "Ryousuke-san."

"Is everything ok?" He asked raising a curious brow. She was standing hidden behind her door, peaking her head out.

"Yes. I'm fine." She looked down the hall and found the door open. Most likely Emi-san was already downstairs. She sighed and turned to the man staring at her in amusement, "I was actually looking for your mother."

"She had to go back to the clinic but will be back soon. Do you need something?"

Mitsu straightened and hesitated, "Umm..." She glanced at the empty hallway then pulled her door open and motioned for him to come inside.

Ryousuke stepped inside her room and she immediately closed the door. He turned back to look at her and his breath caught in his throat.

"Could you umm.. Help me with the zipper?" Mitsu asked shyly as she approached him lifting her hair and turning so her back was towards him. The room suddenly felt warm.

Ryousuke stood stunned a moment. The scent of Vanilla and Roses hit him as she turned her back to him.

"Ryousuke-san?" Mitsu turned slightly to look at him.

"S-sorry." He blinked and glanced down where the two sides of the silky midnight blue gown fell apart. The skin of her back looked smooth and pale in contrast to the dark material. He gently reached for the tiny zipper and slowly inched it up.

Mitsu closed her eyes. Did he have to go so slow? She felt one of his hand touch her shoulder as the other slowly pulled up the zipper. His breath tickled her neck.

Suddenly she felt his hand leave her shoulder and then suddenly they were both wrapped around her waist. Pulling her against his chest. She sighed.

"Meet me at Akagi tonight?" He asked softly, his head resting comfortably against hers.

"I think your parents would notice if we both disappeared."

"After the party. I have to head over to Hyobe's. Meet me at Akagi?"

Mitsu nodded and relished in his warmth.

"Take the FC." He whispered.

Mitsu pulled away so that she could turn to look at him, "The FC? But how are you -"

Ryousuke nodded, "Hyobe will pick me up tonight. I want to show you something." He reached out for her, already missing the feel of her body against his.

Mitsu automatically stepped into his arms. The pressure of his chest pressed against her thinly clad body caused her to sigh. She pulled him closer, "Ryousuke..."

"Hmm."

"Can we stay like this for the rest of the night?"

The young man chuckled and drew back, "Maybe not just like this." He stated as he tilted her head back so that he could kiss her.

Mitsu's hands went to the back of his neck, "Mmm, you're right. This is better." She mumbled and returned the kiss.

Lost in the moment, the kiss deepened. Mitsu had unbuttoned his suit jacket so she chould reach under it and be closer to him.

Ryousuke's hands were stroking up and down her back, savouring the soft feel of her skin where he could with the mid backless dress. His hands were in her hair again, pulling it loose as he ran his hands through it. He loved the feel of her hair. The smell...

He pulled back from the kiss and looked down at her passion dazed face. He didn't doubt his face mirrored her expression, "I should go." He said softly as he slowly let go of her.

"Why?" She asked dazed.

Ryousuke smiled, "Because I respect you too much." He reached out and ran his hand through her hair, "You look beautiful."

Mitsu blushed, "You don't look too bad yourself Takahashi Ryousuke." She teased to hide her embarrassment.

Ryousuke stepped closer to her again and kissed her more gently this time, "I'll see you later Mitsu-chan."

Mitsu stared up into his eyes, "Ok." She reached up and kissed him again before stepping back and smiling at the dazed look he got again.

Ryousuke nodded clearing his head and went to the door. He glanced back at her. She stood tall, confident, in that silky dress that drapped over her body perfectly. He shook his head and pulled open the door.

Once her door closed, Mitsu went to her bed and dropped back onto it with a huge sigh. Her whole body felt flushed and she couldn't stop thinking of Ryousuke's lips and the feel of his chest against hers. She shook her head and got up. She had to get ready. Moving to stand back in front of the mirror she looked at her mass of loose hair. He seemed to like letting her hair down.

She smiled and moved to style it back in a bun. Ryousuke could take in down again later tonight.

* * *

Ryousuke stepped out of his room with his towel.

"Aniki?"

"Keisuke." The older brother answered back as he made his way past his brother and his room.

"You ok?"

"Yes. Shower." Ryousuke replied curtly and disappeared into the bathroom.

Keisuke found it strange that his brother would shower if he had already changed into his suit, usually he would have showered before hand. Unless he was taking a second shower? He shrugged it off as his brother being anal and closed his bedroom door.

Mitsu's door opened and she stepped out.

The blond Takahashi froze mid-stride and whistled appreciatively, "Wow!"

Mitsu blushed and smiled, "Thank you. It doesn't look too formal does it?"

"No. You look great. Has Aniki seen you yet?" He asked curiously.

"Umm yes. Why?" She pushed back a strand of hair that fell over her eye.

"He has?" He glanced back towards the bathroom. Suddenly it dawned on him and he laughed and offered his arm, "Let's go down."

"Ok... What's so funny." She asked studying him.

"Nothing. I just remembered something." He was still smiling, "So how did Aniki react when he saw you?"

Mitsu turned away blushing, "He didn't do anything."

"What do you mean?"

"Just that. He just stood there."

Keisuke laughed, "Like frozen?"

"Maybe." Mitsu laughed as they arrived on the main level of the house.

The front door opened and Takahashi Emi entered, "Wow you look beautiful Mitsu-chan!" She said smiling widely.

"Thank you Emi-sama."

Emi turned to her son and smiled. She stepped up to him, "And you," She reached up to straighten his tie, "You look very handsome."

"Mom!" Keisuke pulled back blushing.

Mitsu smiled. Keisuke looked cute with the blush coming to his cheeks.

"Ok, everything ready?"

Keisuke shrugged and Mistu looked about.

Emi smiled, "Where's Fujimaro and Ryousuke?"

"Kitchen!" Fujimaro's voice came floating over towards them.

"Your brother?" Emi asked.

"Showering." Keisuke replied smiling.

Emi quirked a brow curiously. She didn't quite understand why her youngest seemed amused at this fact. She turned to Mitsu and saw her also looking at him curiously.

"Alright, well people should be coming soon." She touched Mitsu's arm before moving into the kitchen to join her husband.

"Ok Keisuke-kun why do you keep getting that strange look when you talk about your brother. Have you done something to him?"

Keisuke laughed, "Not me. I didn't do anything." He threw his hands in the air and walked away.

Mitsu watched him leave then decided to join Emi and Fujimaro-san in the kitchen.

* * *

Later that evening Ryousuke walked among his parents friends and colleagues. Stopping to speak to whomever engaged him in conversation.

"Yes, I have started my residency recently." He answered smiling. His eyes caught sight of Mitsu-chan moving into his field of view. A man accompanied her as they talked.

"How long is your residency?"

Ryousuke turned to the man speaking to him, "5 years before i start my fellowship." He forced himself to keep his attention on their guest.

"Let me guess, you've decided to specialize in surgery?"

Ryousuke nodded, "Aa."

"As expected from the son of Takahashi-sama's son."

Ryousuke simply smiled politely.

"You know Yamamoto Sensei wanted to become an emergency surgeon."

Ryousuke pretended to listen as the man started telling him about Yamamoto-sensei's decision. His eyes moved away briefly as the man drew another person into their conversation. Behind their guest, he could see Mitsu-chan smiling at the man facing her. Her hand came up to tuck a rogue strand of hair behind her ear. Her companion smiled and reached up to push back some stray hair on her other side. A strange feeling swept over him. He couldn't stand to watch anymore. He turned to the speaker, "Please excuse me." Ryousuke moved away from the small group that had formed around him and went to the kitchen. He retrieved a water bottle from the fridge and took a long sip.

He definitely did not like how much attention that man was giving Mitsu-chan.

"Aniki."

Ryousuke looked up to see his younger brother join him.

"Think this party is almost done?"

"Soon." He glanced at his watch, "At most one hour."

Keisuke went to the fridge and got out a can of orange ponta, "How was the cold shower?"

Ryousuke glanced at him.

Keisuke laughed, "When Mitsu-chan said you had already seen her I figured that's why you needed another shower. A cold one I'm guessing."

Ryousuke brought the bottle of water to his lips again.

"I saw you looking at her just now." Keisuke added. His older brother sighed, "Don't worry. Mom and Dad were too busy to notice."

"She looks different."

"She's hot."

Ryousuke frowned.

"Admit it Aniki. You are so attracted to her!" He laughed.

"We should re-join the party." Ryousuke re-capped his bottle of water and placed it on the table, "Lets go Keisuke."

The brothers were leaving the kitchen when they bumped into Mitsu-chan.

"Oh I'm sorry." She bowed her head politely.

"Hey Mistu-chan. Escaped from that guy who's been following you all night?" He teased glancing at his brother.

The young woman sighed, "He has a lot to say."

Keisuke laughed, "Anything good?"

Mitsu pretended to ponder his question a moment.

The oldest Takahashi took the opportunity to stare at her. He stuffed his hands in his pockets suddenly to keep himself from touching her.

"Oh yes, he has a dog."

Keisuke laughed, "At least you got away."

"I'm supposed to be in the bathroom. Is the party almost over?"

"Aniki says it will probably end in less than an hour."

Mitsu glanced quickly at the quiet older brother. She had to admit, he really looked handsome in his suit. She turned away quickly, which she noticed amused Keisuke, "I need something to drink." She gave the brothers a nod and moved into the kitchen.

Ryousuke turned to his brother. Keisuke glanced back at Mitsu then met his gaze. He sighed, "Go."

The younger brother smiled and went back into the kitchen, leaving Ryousuke to join the party on his own.

Keisuke pulled out a chair and sat down with his Ponta as he waited for Mitsu to join him.

"So Keisuke-kun, I saw some pretty girls talking to you." She smiled and sat down facing him.

"Not interested."

"Distractions?"

"Those ones want me for my family."

"Oh." Mitsu sipped her juice.

He looked up at the woman in front of him. She was definitely pretty. And real. She didn't do anything extra to try to make herself look attractive to the opposite sex. And He liked that she wasn't the flirty type.

"You know, if I was in Aniki's shoes and you and I were betrothed, I'd probably marry you right away before anyone else could get you."

Mitsu almost chocked on her juice.

Keisuke laughed.

"You're going to kill me Keisuke-kun." She stood up to get a napkin, "What would make you say something like that all of a sudden?"

"Nothing I was just thinking about your situation with Aniki and how I like you."

Mitsu looked at him surprised.

The young man chucked, "Not romantically. You're just different then the other girls I've met. I can talk to you."

"Thanks. I think." She took another sip of her juice.

"Do you still like him?"

Mitsu met his worried gaze. She blushed, "Nothing has changed Keisuke." She glanced towards the opening of the kitchen, "There are a lot of girls interested in your Aniki. Don't think I didn't notice."

"I'm glad you noticed. That means you had your eyes on him! And I know he noticed that guy that kept hanging around you all night."

Mitsu blushed. How could she not notice Ryousuke? "I don't think anyone here didn't notice how all those girls fawned all over your Aniki."

"You didn't fawn all over him."

"Well you guys are kind of like my family. It would be very awkward."

"But you don't like Aniki like a brother right."

Mitsu hesitated. Keisuke was really probing tonight. She sighed in resignation, "No not like a brother."

The smile was back on Keisuke's face, "So... Why do you like him?"

"You're so inquisitive tonight."

"We never get to talk like this. You're usually studying or something." He shrugged.

Mitsu smiled apologetically, "The semester's almost over. For sure we'll get to talk more then."

"If you're like Aniki, you're still going to be busy. Hey! You're changing the subject!" He glared at her, "So why do you like him?"

Mitsu blushed and shrugged, "He's kind."

Keisuke frowned, "That's it?" He crossed his arms in dissatisfaction.

Mitsu laughed nervously, "Ok ok." She lowered her gaze to her cup, "He is kind and considerate, and gentle,"

Keisuke watched as she slowly lost herself in thought.

"He's passionate, smart, stubborn," She smiled unknowingly, "He's easy to tease and can give back what he gets." The smile disappeared, "He feels very deeply even when he doesn't show it. He'll do everything he can to care for those close to him and will try to hide his hurt..." She trembled suddenly. She was falling for him... She closed her eyes briefly. This was not good. She had to get over him. They couldn't be together. Neither of them wanted to go through with the betrothal. She opened her eyes, "We should join the party Keisuke-kun."

Keisuke was smiling when she had been listing off the qualities she liked about his brother. But somewhere near the end she lost that dream-like look.

"You don't want to hear this sappy stuff about your brother." She got to her feet.

"Is something wrong Mitsu-chan?" He also got to his feet.

"No of course not." She put away her cup and went to him. She hooked her hand at his elbow and led him back to the party, "Oh and what I told you, you are not to tell anyone."

Keisuke smiled.

"I mean it Keisuke-kun. I will seriously come after you, if you tell anyone."

"Ok! I won't say anything." He chuckled. He could keep her secret. His goal to get Mitsu -chan thinking about his brother was accomplished anyway. He stopped her as she released him and was about to enter the room, "You know what you said, about being like family?"

Mitsu nodded.

"Well, I consider you family. And I want you to be happy."

Mitsu smiled. She leaned towards him and kissed his cheek, "Thank you Keisuke-kun." She smiled as he blushed, then left him to rejoin the party.

Keisuke watched her glide back among the guests. Eyes turned upon her as she walked by them. That guy, was immediately back at her side. His hand went to the small of her back to guide her back into conversation. He frowned when she smiled up at the man. Keisuke glanced around the room to find that his Aniki was once again surrounded by girls.

"Keisuke-kun, there you are!" A voice the young man found too sweet declared. He turned to see a young woman coming to stand by him.

"So she's like your sister right?"

Keisuke smiled, "Well no. My parents are her guardians. We're not remotely related."

"Oh." The girl looked over at Fukotomi Mitsu. She had seen Fukotomi Mitsu kiss his cheek, "How old is she?"

"Just one year older than me." Keisuke answered her shrugging. He hid his smile. The girl was definitely getting the wrong idea. Perfect.

* * *

"Well that went well." Fujimaro stated as he finished loading the dishwasher.

"It did." Emi turned to Mitsu-chan who was the only other person present, "And I noticed you had an admirer all night!"

The young woman blushed.

"He's a nice young man." Emi stated nodding.

Mitsu studied her a moment. Was she encouraging her? She turned to Fujimaro who was still loading the dishwasher.

Emi smiled, "We just want you to be well taken care of sweet heart."

Ryousuke stepped into the kitchen, "I'll be with Hyobe." He stated.

His parents turned to him.

"Are you coming home tonight?" Emi asked seeing the backpack her son was carrying.

Ryousuke shook his head, "I'll return tomorrow." He had heard the conversation between his mother and Mitsu and didn't like it at all.

"Ok. Be careful."

"Aa." He glanced at his father who nodded before he turned away and left.

The three people in the kitchen were silent until they heard the front door close.

"So, do you think you will go out with him?" Emi asked curiously.

Mitsu blushed, "I don't really know him Emi-san."

"Emi, she just met him!" Fujimaro shook his head.

"I know. But they seemed to get along so well!"

Fujimaro sighed, "Let her be. Come lets go to bed." He turned to his best friend's daughter, "Good night Mitsu-chan. Don't sleep too late."

"Hai. Good night." She bowed politely as she watched the couple head upstairs. She walked over to the kitchen window. Ryousuke's white FC remained in its place at the side of the house. She wondered why he wanted her to take the FC instead of her rental.

She yawned and started upstairs to go to her room. She couldn't wait to get out of this dress. It made her feel exposed. She entered her room and reached for the zipper. Suddenly remembering she needed a little help. She sighed. She couldn't go see Emi now. She would wonder how she got it on in the first place. She sighed and tried to shift the dress around so she could reach the zipper.

After a long 10 minutes, Mitsu finally managed to get the zipper down. She sighed heavily once she was free of the dress. She stared at it with a frown. Next time she would get something more functional. Ryousuke's dazed look came to mind. Then again, it was nice to see that look on Ryousuke's face. She smiled and went to hang up the dress and put on her stretchy pants and a sweater.

She went to her laptop and flipped it open. It was then that she noticed Ryousuke's keys to his FC. She touched them briefly and smiled before she turned back to her laptop. As expected there was an email from Satoro. And as expected, he concluded his email asking about Ryousuke-san. She glanced at her messenger and noticed him online. Opening a chat window, she sent him a message saying she was doing well. They talked for a while, Satoro occasionally dropping a Ryousuke related question and Mitsu ignoring them like she had not even read them, until Satoro decided it was time for him to get to bed.

Mitsu bid him good night then glanced at the clock. She still had 15 minutes before leaving for Akagi. She pulled out her notes and started studying.

* * *

Hyobe stared down at the engine as it idled smoothly. He glanced up at his friend who was studying his laptop, "How does it look?"

"Running at 98% efficiency."

"So, it looks like she's all set."

"Aa." Ryousuke unhooked the cables from his laptop and the SW20's onboard computer.

"Going to take it for a test drive?"

"Aa." Ryousuke moved to put the laptop away, "I won't be long. I'll have to fully test it when I get to Akagi."

"Do you want me to come along?"

"It will be fine."

"Aa. You want time alone with her." Hyobe smirked.

His friend gave him a pointed look, then continued to pack his things.

"So, if the settings are good, are you going to race her?"

"It's possible."

Hyobe studied his friend, "Shouldn't you be feeling a little excited about that? You haven't raced since your professional debut. And what? A year since you last raced in your FC?"

Ryousuke finished packing his laptop and turned to his friend briefly before he moved towards the SW20. Tonight would be the last night. He grabbed the keys from the counter and rolled them in his palm a moment. He moved to the car.

His arm was suddenly grabbed, "Hey."

"Hmm?"

"You ok?"

"Aa." Ryousuke turned away and went to get in the car.

Hyobe followed him. He watched as as the car started. Ryousuke gave him a nod and Hyobe tapped the top of the SW20 and watched as it rolled out of the garage. When the car turned onto the street, he went back to the work bench and picked up his can of unfinished cold coffee. Something about Ryousuke seemed off. He sensed nervousness and... Something. He couldn't put his finger on it. He sipped his drink and turned to put away the tools.

It wasn't long before he heard the SW20 returning. He was just closing his tool box kit, when the white toyota pulled into the garage. He turned and watched as Ryousuke turned off the engine and stepped out of the car.

"So?"

"It'll do." He shut the door and looked about. Hyobe had already cleaned up the shop. There was nothing left to do. He turned to Hyobe.

"Off to meet her now?"

"Aa. Thank you."

Hyobe clasped a hand on his shoulder, "What are friend's for."

Ryousuke nodded and turned to the SW20.

"Oye."

"Hmm?"

"When are you going to propose?"

Ryousuke ignored the excited smile on his face, "Tonight."

"Tonight?" Hyobe chuckled, "So that's why you seem a little nervous!" He started to laugh when his friend gave him an exasperated look, "Don't worry Ryousuke." He nodded to the SW20, "Get going. You don't want her to be waiting at Akagi by herself." He glanced at his watch, "She should be on her way there now."

"Aa." Ryousuke moved back to the Toyota and pulled open the door, "I'll call you."

Hyobe nodded and watched as his friend strapped himself into the bucket seat and started the engine, "Good luck." He smiled. Like he needed it. Mitsu-chan was in love with him. It was obvious. His friend was worried for nothing. He watched as Ryousuke pulled out of the garage. He turned and went to gather his things to head home. There was a couple things that he had thought of and he wanted to test it on his design before calling it a night.

* * *

Mitsu became more and more excited as she approached the top of Akagi. Throughout the whole night, it had been very hard to make sure her eyes didn't trail onto Ryousuke whenever he was in the room, or when she heard that unique and sexy tenor voice. She idly wondered how he was going to get to Akagi. Would Hyobe have dropped him off? Or maybe Hyobe was going to join them?

The thought brought disappointment. She hoped Hyobe wasn't going to join them.

Her foot let up on the accelerator as the conversation she had with Keisuke came to mind. The FC came to a full stop. Mitsu rested her head on the steering wheel. Ryousuke's FC's steering wheel. Ryousuke... She took several deep breaths...

* * *

Ryousuke straightened. The sound of his FC had come to a stop.

He hadn't heard any sounds that could have been a collision. He stuffed his hands in his pockets. He took a deep calming breath as his left hand felt and clutched the small velvet box in his pocket. He shut his eyes briefly. He had to mentally prepare himself for the outcome. When he re-opened his eyes, he turned to the SW20. Only when the sound of his FC once again echoed in the silent night, did he turn away and looked towards the entrance to the parking lot.

She would be here soon.

He removed his hands from his pocket and went to stand by the driver's side door as his FC appeared.

His stomach clenched.

He could see her eyes widen and her lips part as the FC immediately slowed.

He watched as the FC came to a stand still next to him.

"Ryousuke-san?" Mitsu was immediately out of the car. Her gaze was on the SW20 behind him as she asked the unvoiced question.

Ryousuke waited as her eyes scanned the car before turning to him. He reached into his right pocket and pulled out a set of keys, "Check the settings." He stated holding them out to her.

Mitsu slowly reached out for her keys. She stared down at the shining piece of metal in her palm. She raised her eyes to meet his. When he offered her an encouraging smile, she took the couple steps towards him and wrapped her arms around him, "Thank you!"

Ryousuke turned his face into her neck breathing deeply. His mind automatically categorizing her scent and carefully locking it away into his memory. He pulled away from her and nodded towards the SW20, "Go." He stepped back and watched as she moved towards the revitalized Toyota.

Mitsu was overwhelmed as she pulled open the door to her car. The inside looked relatively the same which meant that Ryousuke had made efforts to procure very specific parts. She moved into the Bride bucket seat and closed her eyes relishing the familiar feel. Her eyes opened and she turned to Takahashi Ryousuke who was calmly watching her.

"Take your time." He stated as he reached for the door.

Mitsu nodded and Ryousuke pushed the door closed. She watched as he stepped aside. Turning her attention back to her car, she started the engine. The familiar yet different sound sent an exciting chill through her body. Without any more delay, she put the Toyota in gear and started for the exit.

Ryousuke watched as the Tokyo Phantom left the parking lot. He glanced at his FC. He gently placed a hand on the hood then turned and walked towards the guardrail to look out over Akagi, "Be happy Mitsu-chan..." He whispered. He raised his gaze and looked beyond Akagi where the lights of the city shone in the distance.

* * *

Mitsu reached the bottom of Akagi exhilarated. She turned the car around and started back up the mountain. She couldn't believe Ryousuke-san had had her car repaired! The Damage to her car and the cost to repair it... The cost of repairs! Had Ryousuke-san paid for the repairs himself?!

She rushed back to the parking lot and parked next to the FC. She got out and walked to where Ryousuke stood at the guardrail watching her approach.

The serious look on her face worried Ryousuke. The fact that she had only done one run on Akagi also worried him. Had he incorrectly assessed her vehicle and tuned it differently? Doubt creeped into him.

Mitsu visibly saw him swallow when she came to a stop before him. He was anxious. She immediately fell into a bow, "Thank you." She stated before straightening, "The settings are good. I noticed you made some changes. They feel good."

A tentative smile reached his lips, "You're welcome." He replied softly.

She had a strange feeling something wasn't right with him. He didn't seem like himself. Almost... Unsure of himself?

She moved to wrap her arms around him, "I can't believe you did this for me." She rested her forehead in the crook of his neck and sighed. She felt his arms circle around her and his head drop onto hers.

"How much was the repairs? I have to pay you back."

"There is no cost Mitsu-chan."

The young woman pulled away, "Ryousuke-san, I can't let you pay for the repairs."

Ryousuke reached out to stroke her cheek, "The repairs did not cost anything Mitsu-chan."

She stared at him with the expected confusion, "How?" She turned to the SW20, "Is that a different body?"

"Ryousuke shook his head, "No. It is your car Mitsu-chan." The young woman turned to him, "Hyobe helped me." He explained.

"You and Hyobe fixed it?" She stared up into his face searching.

He nodded.

Emotion welled up inside her and she reached up to press her lips to his. She felt him resist her only briefly before he tightened his hold on her and the kiss deepened.

Ryousuke savoured the taste of her, the feel of her body pressed intimately against his. Although he wanted desperately to be in the moment, to forget everything else, somewhere in the recess of his mind, the weight of the small velvet box in his left pocket reminded him that this would most likely be the last time they would be like this together. He stepped back to put some distance between them. He stared down at Mitsu as her eyes slowly opened. He offered her a smile and nodded towards the cars.

"I believe you challenged me."

The glazed look in Mitsu's eyes instantly vanished. A wide smile appeared, "Really?"

Ryousuke nodded.

"Coming out of retirement?"

Ryousuke chuckled, "Tonight only." His hands were still around her waist, "Well?"

"Let's go!" She laughed and tip toed to quickly kiss him before going back to her car.

Ryousuke watched her a moment. He loved how happy she looked. He hoped that she would be just as happy after tonight.

"Oh! Forgot." Mitsu came back towards him, "You might need this." She gave him the keys to the FC.

Ryousuke looked down at the keys.

"Are you ok?" She asked suddenly.

The young man smiled, "Just part of my plan to distract you. I'll even take the lead so you can study me."

Mitsu laughed, "You're going to regret that. See you at the bottom Takahashi Ryousuke!" She went back to her car.

Ryousuke couldn't help smiling after her as he went to the FC and got in.

Mitsu glanced out her window at Ryousuke who still had a small smile on his face as he started his own vehicle. Unknown to her, he was trying his best to make sure he appeared normal to make her night an enjoyable one. He couldn't let her see how nervous and defeated he already felt even before confirming what he believed her answer would be.

She watched as he glanced at her with a nod and drove towards the exit. Mitsu quickly put the SW20 in gear and darted after the white FC.

* * *

Several runs later, they pulled up into the parking lot again.

Ryousuke turned the key and pulled it out of the ignition before climbing out of the car and moving towards Mitsu who was already out of the SW20 and was making her way towards him. He shut his door as he watched her approach.

Mitsu threw her arms around Ryousuke's neck, "I conceed defeat." She tilted her head slightly and smiled, "But only for today." She stood up on her tip toes and pressed her lips against his. She pressed further against him when she felt his hand on her waist and another to her neck. Her body melted when he kissed her back.

"Mitsu..." Ryousuke managed to whisper as he pulled his lips from hers a brief moment before he kissed her again.

"Hn?"

Ryousuke kissed her deeply one more time before he gently pushed her away from him, "Are you thirsty?"

Mitsu looked at him confused, "Thirsty?" He was thinking about being thirsty?

Ryousuke smiled and kissed her forehead before turning back to his FC. He pulled open the door and grabbed a backpack from the back of his seat. He closed and locked the FC before turning to Mitsu and taking her hand, "Come."

The young woman smiled and followed him. They stepped over the guardrail and off to the left towards the trees, "I take it you have been here before."

"I come here to study sometimes."

"Study?"

"It's quiet," He turned to her, "and it has a nice view. We are almost there."

They walked another minute or so until Mitsu could see a slight clearing. Ryousuke released her hand and lowered the backpack to the ground. He opened it and pulled out a blanket that he set on the grass. He turned to Mitsu who was watching him with a smile, "What is it?" He motioned for her to come sit on the blanket.

Mitsu shook her head, "Nothing." She moved onto the blanket and sat down.

Ryousuke joined her and pulled out two cans of milk tea from the backpack. He popped one open and handed it to Mitsu.

"Thank you." She watched as he opened his own and looked towards her. She brought the can to her lips and sipped. He watched her a moment longer then turned to look out at the horizon and sipped from his own drink.

"What's bothering you?" Mitsu turned to him.

Ryousuke's eyes met hers. Then swept over her face. His hand reached up to touch her face, her hair. He leaned towards her and pressed his lips to hers. She responded to him immediately. He was glad. He didn't want her to worry about him. He deepened the kiss.

Mitsu reached up for him. She craved to be closer to him, to feel him against her. Warmth. Strength. Excitement.

Ryousuke lost himself in the moment. He shifted slightly and the feel of the small box in his pocket brought back the realization of what he was going to do tonight. He pulled away and realized that he had leaned her back and down on the blanket and was slightly atop her. Her eyes opened and looked up at him in a daze. He kissed her forehead and rolled onto his side and continued to look at her and stroke her hair.

"Are you going to tell me what's bothering you?"

Ryousuke chuckled, "Since the night I met you, I knew you would be trouble."

Mitsu feigned surprise, "Trouble? How am I trouble?"

Ryousuke smiled and leaned in to kiss her. When he pulled away from her he breathed, "You see me." He leaned it to steal another kiss.

When they broke apart to breath, Mitsu caressed his face, "How can anyone not see you..." She pulled him down for another kiss before she pulled away, "So?" She watched as the man before her retreated slightly. Something was definitely wrong. She touched his cheek.

"I want you to be happy Mitsu-chan."

"I know." She frowned, "I am."

Ryousuke sighed and pressed his forehead to hers, "I don't want to hurt you. I want the best for you. Believe me..."

"I know." She caressed his face again, "I know you do." She reassured him. She was beginning to worry, "What's going on?"

Ryousuke pulled away. She was worried, "Please don't worry about me Mitsu-chan. I will be fine." He gave her a smile and knew that she saw through it when she remained frowning. He got to his feet and held a hand out to her as she sat up.

Mitsu took his hand and Ryousuke pulled her to her feet. His hand cupped her face and he kissed her deeply. They pulled apart breathlessly. Their kisses always left them breathless.

"I will be fine ok?"

Mitsu nodded, "Ok." She saw him smile before kissing her again.

"Mitsu-chan?" He whispered her name between kisses.

"Hmm?"

Ryousuke brushed his tongue against her lip, "I love you..." He declared softly as he removed his lips from hers.

Mitsu stiffened and pulled back. Had he just... She blinked back the daze his kisses usually brought on. She watched as Ryousuke took a step back and suddenly lowered himself down on one knee as he moved to hold something out towards her.

She gasped and covered her mouth. Was he? Her eyes travelled nervously to the small velvet box he was holding out to her. She watched as he moved to open it and immediately the diamond shined brightly at her.

"Fukotomi Mitsu," Ryousuke looked up at her, "Will you marry me?" The blood rushing through his veins pumped wildly and loudly in his ears.

* * *

To be continued...

Thank you for reading and a big thank you to those who have stuck by this story since the beginning.

Hugs.

CelicaChick.


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